Robin Miller
08-21-2008, 08:01 PM
Warriors feel Ellis is up to challenge of taking over as point guard
By Marcus Thompson II
Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/18/2008 07:58:12 PM PDT
Monta Ellis is a walking contradiction, an oxymoron in the flesh.
His game is explosive and captivating, yet his demeanor is tranquil and
reserved. His build is slight, fragile looking. Yet he's proved tough and
durable.
But there is something more curious yet about Ellis, who faces his biggest
challenge this coming season in replacing Baron Davis as the Warriors'
starting point guard. He has natural abilities most basketball players dream
about, but he also has an incredible work ethic.
"Monta is quietly confident, and it comes from getting his work done and not
talking about it," said Warriors executive vice president of basketball
operations Chris Mullin, who drafted Ellis No. 40 overall in 2005.
"He shows up in the best shape. You don't keep improving as he has just
because. He works at it."
There are plenty of athletes who overcame a lack of talent by working harder
than everyone else. There are plenty of athletes who are good enough to
thrive with putting in the practice time. But not many combine special
talent with a persistent grind to get better, as does Ellis. As a result,
his three-year career has already produced a spectacular ascension from
high-school hopeful to franchise figure. That's why he was given a six-year,
$66 million contract and the reins to the Warriors franchise last month
after Davis opted out of his contract and signed with the Los Angeles
Clippers.
Members of the organization are showing no concern about putting so much
responsibility on Ellis' 22-year-old shoulders. Instead of spending the
summer swimming in his newly acquired wealth, Ellis is already preparing to
meet expectations. He is doggedly working on his ball handling this
offseason and has plans to improve his endurance and strength by working out
with trainer Virgil Hunter, boxing coach of undefeated super middleweight
Andre Ward of Oakland.
"There's no workout like a boxing workout," said Ward, who is training for
his December fight at Oracle Arena against Brian Vera. "It surprised me a
little bit because there was no hesitation (when he was approached with the
idea). "... The scary part about him is he's going to get better. When hard
work and talent come together, great things happen."
Ellis' freakish abilities on the court are unmistakable. He is not afraid to
discuss them.
"I'm going to tell you an ability I have that most players don't have,"
Ellis said during his meeting with Bay Area media late last month. "That's
speed. That's it. I mean, that's how I stand out from other guys - speed.
You have guys in the league that have speed. But they don't have the
abilities I have."
More specifically, he has unique quickness in lateral movement and reaction.
He gets off the ground like a flea - fast and high - and has superb body
control while in the air. He has a natural feel for the game you can't
teach - he knows how and when to change gears and how to anticipate the help
defense.
Still, it's his work ethic that has set Ellis apart. That's what's helped
him overcome his knee ailments. One of the reasons Ellis slipped in the
draft was concern over surgery on his left knee (which he didn't rehab right
while in high school). He wasn't able to work out for teams at his best.
During Ellis' first year with the Warriors, while he rode the bench under
then-coach Mike Montgomery, Ellis worked on strengthening his knee three or
four days a week, close to an hour a day, in addition to normal practice.
These days his knee is not an issue.
His hard work helped him improve his strength.
"When he came to us, he was 160-165 pounds soaking wet," Warriors director
of athletic development Mark Grabow said. "Now he's about 185 pounds and
still about 5 or 6 percent body fat. He was able to put the right kind of
weight on and increase his strength."
Credit Ellis' work ethic for his ability to dribble left and nail a midrange
jumper with consistency. During his second and third seasons, he worked on
both daily, with the results showing last season, when he averaged 20.2
points on 53 percent shooting.
"The way Monta practices," assistant coach Keith Smart said, "Monta goes at
guys like he's playing for the world championships."
Of course, his new contract and increased responsibility certainly ups the
expectations. Questions abound about Ellis' ability to play point guard at
the NBA level, which he has little experience doing. Doubts persist about
his ability to be as prolific a scorer as he was playing alongside point
guard Baron Davis. There are worries about his ability to defend, especially
against the pick-and-roll and bigger point guards, which gave him plenty
problems last season.
But Mullin doesn't blink when confronted with these concerns.
"Anytime he's faced with any type of adversity or someone questioning his
ability, he uses that as a motivating factor and turns it into a positive,"
Mullin said. "From where he was drafted to not playing much his rookie year,
he's been faced with things already and has taken them head on. He's one of
those motivated, mentally tough kind of guys. I have a lot of confidence in
him."
Contact Marcus Thompson II at mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com.
By Marcus Thompson II
Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/18/2008 07:58:12 PM PDT
Monta Ellis is a walking contradiction, an oxymoron in the flesh.
His game is explosive and captivating, yet his demeanor is tranquil and
reserved. His build is slight, fragile looking. Yet he's proved tough and
durable.
But there is something more curious yet about Ellis, who faces his biggest
challenge this coming season in replacing Baron Davis as the Warriors'
starting point guard. He has natural abilities most basketball players dream
about, but he also has an incredible work ethic.
"Monta is quietly confident, and it comes from getting his work done and not
talking about it," said Warriors executive vice president of basketball
operations Chris Mullin, who drafted Ellis No. 40 overall in 2005.
"He shows up in the best shape. You don't keep improving as he has just
because. He works at it."
There are plenty of athletes who overcame a lack of talent by working harder
than everyone else. There are plenty of athletes who are good enough to
thrive with putting in the practice time. But not many combine special
talent with a persistent grind to get better, as does Ellis. As a result,
his three-year career has already produced a spectacular ascension from
high-school hopeful to franchise figure. That's why he was given a six-year,
$66 million contract and the reins to the Warriors franchise last month
after Davis opted out of his contract and signed with the Los Angeles
Clippers.
Members of the organization are showing no concern about putting so much
responsibility on Ellis' 22-year-old shoulders. Instead of spending the
summer swimming in his newly acquired wealth, Ellis is already preparing to
meet expectations. He is doggedly working on his ball handling this
offseason and has plans to improve his endurance and strength by working out
with trainer Virgil Hunter, boxing coach of undefeated super middleweight
Andre Ward of Oakland.
"There's no workout like a boxing workout," said Ward, who is training for
his December fight at Oracle Arena against Brian Vera. "It surprised me a
little bit because there was no hesitation (when he was approached with the
idea). "... The scary part about him is he's going to get better. When hard
work and talent come together, great things happen."
Ellis' freakish abilities on the court are unmistakable. He is not afraid to
discuss them.
"I'm going to tell you an ability I have that most players don't have,"
Ellis said during his meeting with Bay Area media late last month. "That's
speed. That's it. I mean, that's how I stand out from other guys - speed.
You have guys in the league that have speed. But they don't have the
abilities I have."
More specifically, he has unique quickness in lateral movement and reaction.
He gets off the ground like a flea - fast and high - and has superb body
control while in the air. He has a natural feel for the game you can't
teach - he knows how and when to change gears and how to anticipate the help
defense.
Still, it's his work ethic that has set Ellis apart. That's what's helped
him overcome his knee ailments. One of the reasons Ellis slipped in the
draft was concern over surgery on his left knee (which he didn't rehab right
while in high school). He wasn't able to work out for teams at his best.
During Ellis' first year with the Warriors, while he rode the bench under
then-coach Mike Montgomery, Ellis worked on strengthening his knee three or
four days a week, close to an hour a day, in addition to normal practice.
These days his knee is not an issue.
His hard work helped him improve his strength.
"When he came to us, he was 160-165 pounds soaking wet," Warriors director
of athletic development Mark Grabow said. "Now he's about 185 pounds and
still about 5 or 6 percent body fat. He was able to put the right kind of
weight on and increase his strength."
Credit Ellis' work ethic for his ability to dribble left and nail a midrange
jumper with consistency. During his second and third seasons, he worked on
both daily, with the results showing last season, when he averaged 20.2
points on 53 percent shooting.
"The way Monta practices," assistant coach Keith Smart said, "Monta goes at
guys like he's playing for the world championships."
Of course, his new contract and increased responsibility certainly ups the
expectations. Questions abound about Ellis' ability to play point guard at
the NBA level, which he has little experience doing. Doubts persist about
his ability to be as prolific a scorer as he was playing alongside point
guard Baron Davis. There are worries about his ability to defend, especially
against the pick-and-roll and bigger point guards, which gave him plenty
problems last season.
But Mullin doesn't blink when confronted with these concerns.
"Anytime he's faced with any type of adversity or someone questioning his
ability, he uses that as a motivating factor and turns it into a positive,"
Mullin said. "From where he was drafted to not playing much his rookie year,
he's been faced with things already and has taken them head on. He's one of
those motivated, mentally tough kind of guys. I have a lot of confidence in
him."
Contact Marcus Thompson II at mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com.