Check out Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis, and you likely will see something you haven't seen before. It doesn't matter if you've seen Ellis and the Warriors 20 times, five times or never.
Ellis, 22, runs the floor like a sprinter, attacks the basket the way the late Walter Payton sought a badly needed last yard, hangs in the air using the body control of a high jumper – and still his game has much room to grow.
Ellis entered the NBA out of high school as the 40th player taken in the 2005 draft – the last in which high school players were eligible. Many players who skipped college to enter the draft have been virtually unheard from since. But answer this: Would you rather have Milwaukee's Andrew Bogut, the 2005 draft's No. 1 overall pick, or Ellis? In fact, other than Utah's Deron Williams, New Orleans' Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum, there's no player in that draft I'd even consider selecting in front of Ellis given the opportunity for a do-over.
Ellis is a major reason the Warriors remain in contention for a playoff berth in an unusually tough Western Conference. He's also a reason the Warriors can be a must-see team.
Ellis was narrowly voted the 2006-07 Most Improved Player over the Kings' Kevin Martin. Although it's unlikely Ellis will win again, he certainly is worthy of consideration. He's averaging 20.1 points on 53.3 percent shooting – these days an ungodly high field-goal percentage for a guard. Granted, Ellis' relentless attack mode, speed and quickness allow him to get to the basket for much closer shots than your average perimeter player, but the man is not to be left alone from 15 to 17 feet.
Perhaps as difficult as attempting to defend Ellis is trying to draw an accurate comparison.
Former Milwaukee Bucks guard Sidney Moncrief was a great defender, excellent ballhandler and more-than-capable scorer. He deserves a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Don't believe it? Ask the guys in the Hall who played against him.
Moncrief is Golden State's shooting coach. Tuesday night, we discussed Ellis while watching him work out with assistant Stephen Silas, the son of former NBA coach Paul Silas.
"I'm not sure who he plays like," Moncrief said of Ellis. "Tiny Archibald in a sense because he was one of the great layup shooters in the game, at least that I've ever seen. Really, (Ellis') quickness and speed remind you some of (former Jazz guard) Rickey Green. Rickey was faster from the backcourt to the frontcourt, and Monta is faster in the frontcourt to the basket.
"Monta is not a player for whom you can find a lot of comparisons. But I'll say this: He is very, very competitive."
Kings coach Reggie Theus was a pretty fair offensive player in his day, as was assistant Chuck Person, and assistant Randy Brown was an excellent defender. But each struggled to find an accurate comparison.
"He's a lot like (Phoenix's Leandro) Barbosa," Theus said of Ellis, 6-foot-3 and 177 pounds. "They both can shoot and are in that in-between size where they can play one or two (point guard or shooting guard). They have got the ability to get to the rack, but Ellis has the speed and power to get to the basket with force."
Person suggested a smaller, young Latrell Sprewell in the open court. Brown said maybe a smaller Clyde Drexler. World B. Free was known more for his jumper, but he had the body control, hang time and attack mode Ellis possesses. Another observer sees a little Allen Iverson in Ellis.
Said Theus: "Walter Davis was another guy who was quick to the basket."
Three years into his NBA career, and Ellis is being compared to some of the league's best scorers. That's saying something.
Call The Bee's Martin McNeal, (916) 326-5504.
