Monta Ellis News: Pro Sports Daily

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September 30

Contra Costa Times

"Guess who showed up to training camp? Warriors guard Monta Ellis joined his team for the first time since severely injuring his left ankle last month. He even spoke with the media after the first practice session Monday. Ellis declined to comment about his potential punishment from the Warriors for being injured during a prohibited activity and then lying about it. He also wouldn't talk about anything involving how he injured himself and what he told the team. His agent, Jeff Fried, is scheduled to meet with Warriors management Oct. 8. At that point, Ellis said he would be able to explain himself. "We'll address it next week when my agent speaks with the team," Ellis told reporters. "I ..."

Ellis' New Set Of Wheels

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September 30

San Francisco Chronicle

"Whatever trust or money or speed Monta Ellis stands to lose as a result of last month's moped misadventure, his confidence will not be among the casualties. "I'm still going to be the fastest guy in the NBA with the basketball after all this," a resolute Ellis said after his arrival in Oakland. The Warriors' franchise-player-turned-cautionary-tale joined his teammates three days into training camp Monday, riding a four-wheeled, scooter-like contraption that couldn't help but serve as a reminder of his offseason follies. As expected, Ellis said he was glad to be back with his teammates and looked forward to re-joining them on the court. The 22-year-old would not give any more insight into ..."

Warriors' Ellis can learn from his mistake

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September 26

Contra Costa Times

columnist Gary Peterson

"In the upper echelon of the Warriors organization, the next chapter in the Torn Deltoid Ligament Heard 'Round the World is being planned like a royal wedding. "We continue to gather all of the pertinent facts and information in regards to the Monta Ellis situation," team president Robert Rowell said in a statement released Thursday. "We have scheduled a meeting with Monta's representatives to take place within the next 7-10 days, and upon conclusion we will have a public announcement regarding our decision." It won't be the kind of announcement that inspires one of the presidential candidates to suspend his campaign — well, probably not — but it is telling. In essence, the team is hedging ..."

Bad moves by Ellis, but Warriors shouldn't fine him

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September 25

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Ratto

"A moped. Monta Ellis put $66 million on a moped. Of course he did. Ellis blew up his ankle and will be lost to America's Favorite Ninth-Place Team for between two and four months, depending on whose diagnosis you believe. He did it while being what kids always believe themselves to be - bulletproof. And while we get that Ellis was precluded in his contract from riding a moped and didn't want to blow his deal completely, the lie and the subsequent delay in revealing that lie made the whole incident look sinister, as though the moped story itself might just be a lie too. We do, however, know this. The Warriors aren't going to do anything to Ellis unless they are as stupid as they are cheap. ..."

Warriors' Ellis was hurt in moped accident

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September 25

San Francisco Chronicle

"Monta Ellis was riding a moped when he severely injured his left ankle last month in his native Jackson, Miss., sources close to the Warriors guard told The Chronicle on Wednesday. The 22-year-old tore a deltoid ligament in his ankle and sustained a high-ankle sprain in what one of the sources labeled a "low-speed" accident. Ellis underwent surgery Aug. 27 and is expected to be sidelined for at least another two months. The cause of Ellis' injury was unclear, even to Golden State officials, immediately after he hurt himself in late August. He initially told vice president Chris Mullin the injury occurred during a pickup basketball game, before coming clean about the moped mishap. The team ..."

Warriors mum on Ellis injury

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September 9

San Francisco Chronicle

"Nearly two weeks after Warriors guard Monta Ellis had surgery on his left ankle, the mystery lingers as to how exactly he got hurt - and whether it will prompt the team to discipline him. Ellis initially told club officials he sustained the injury while working out in Mississippi - but the injury actually "happened outdoors and not while playing basketball," an unnamed team source told the Contra Costa Times over the weekend. The newspaper reported Ellis has informed Warriors officials how he really hurt his ankle, though its source did not reveal the details. The Warriors declined comment Monday, leaning again on last week's official statement, which read: "We are not going to comment ..."

Warriors' Ellis admits he lied about injury

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September 6

Contra Costa Times

"The saga surrounding the left ankle of Warriors guard Monta Ellis has taken a step toward a conclusion. The Contra Costa Times has learned that Ellis has admitted to the Warriors that he wasn't truthful about how he hurt his ankle, and the two sides are in talks about how to put the situation behind them.According to a team source, the Warriors now know that Ellis' ankle injury _ which was repaired during surgery on Aug. 27 _ was not sustained "in a gym," and "it happened out doors and not while playing basketball."The source did not reveal what Ellis told Warriors management he was doing when he got hurt, only that he "was scared to tell the truth at first," but eventually did.At first, ..."

Cuts, abrasions lead some to question cause of Ellis' injury

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September 3

ESPN.com

"Questions about how Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis sustained a serious ankle injury are only getting louder. Multiple league sources have told ESPN.com that Ellis had several cuts and abrasions on his leg -- atypical of an injury sustained on a basketball court -- in addition to the high ankle sprain and torn deltoid ligament he suffered on Aug. 21. The Contra Costa Times had earlier reported that the severity of the injury has the Warriors skeptical about the explanation they received from Ellis, who told the club he got hurt working out in his native Mississippi. Ellis has not spoken publicly since his injury was revealed Wednesday and his agent, Jeff Fried, declined comment ..."

Warriors can turn Ellis' bad luck into marketing gold

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September 1

Contra Costa Times

columnist Gary Peterson

"Necessity is the mother of marketing masterstrokes. The Warriors have proven this in recent years with their ground-breaking campaigns A Good Time Out, Grand Theft Lottery and Guess Which Former Portland Coach We Just Hired. They are topping themselves as we speak. Behold CSI: GSW. As first reported in the publication you now hold in your hands, the team believes guard Monta Ellis has been less than forthcoming regarding his recent ankle injury. Ellis, who tore a ligament and suffered a high ankle sprain, had surgery last Thursday. If all goes well, he could be playing again by the end of the calendar year. Ellis told the Warriors he was hurt during a basketball-related activity. The ..."

Warriors have questions on Ellis' injury

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August 30

Oakland Tribune

"If you think the details of Warriors guard Monta Ellis' ankle injury are sketchy, the Warriors agree with you. According to team sources, the Warriors have questions about the explanation Ellis gave them regarding how he sustained the injury. The team has launched an investigation, dispatching athletic trainer Tom Abdenour to Jackson, Miss., to take a look at Ellis. Ellis informed the Warriors last Thursday that he had injured his left ankle working out in Jackson. He had surgery on Wednesday in Alabama to repair a torn deltoid ligament in his left ankle. He also sustained a severe high ankle sprain and disruption of ligaments above the ankle joint. He is expected to miss a minimum of ..."

Warriors' Ellis out three months

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August 28

Contra Costa Times

"The Warriors have now lost two starting point guards this summer. First Baron Davis opted out of his contract and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, Monta Ellis, Davis' replacement, has been lost to injury for a minimum of three months. Ellis, who signed a six-year, $66 million contract extension last month, had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left ankle, the Warriors confirmed. He hurt his ankle working out in his hometown, Jackson, Miss. The initial hope was that it was a high ankle sprain when Ellis, 22, informed the team late last week. But the diagnosis turned out more severe. "This is obviously a temporary setback for our team, but fortunately it is not ..."

Warriors coping with loss of Ellis

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August 28

Contra Costa Times

"According to a release put out by the Warriors on Wednesday, Ellis sustained a Grade 3 high ankle sprain, a torn deltoid ligament and disruption of the ankle syndesmosis (ligaments above the ankle joint). The release said the surgery was successfully performed Wednesday by Dr. Angus McBride of the Andrew Sports Medicine"

Warriors feel Ellis is up to challenge of taking over as point guard

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August 19

Contra Costa Times

"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 ..."

Ellis comfortable with new wealth, responsibility

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July 30

Contra Costa Times

"Monta Ellis sat with his chin up and posture straight, his white T-shirt giving all the attention to his beaming smile. He looked like the face of the franchise. He saluted his predecessor, point guard Baron Davis, embraced his increased responsibility and spoke with an obvious confidence. He sounded like the face of the franchise. Ellis gave his first public interview since signing a six-year, $66 million contract with the Warriors last week, and he was hardly the shy kid they drafted in 2005 out of Lanier High School in Jackson, Miss. He seemed comfortable in his first appearance as the franchise's premier player. Still, hold off on crowning him king, he requests. "I have to do more, but ..."

With Davis gone, Ellis is the face of the franchise

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July 30

San Francisco Chronicle

"Warriors guard Monta Ellis provided a variety of camera-ready facial expressions but insisted he's not the new face of the franchise Tuesday in his first public statements since signing a lucrative deal five days earlier. Ellis, a 6-foot-3, 177-pound fourth-year player, signed a six-year, $67 million deal Thursday. Whether he likes it or not, he's the highest-paid and most-featured player on the Golden State roster since Baron Davis bolted for the Los Angeles Clippers. Still, Ellis spent the majority of a 13-minute news conference juking eight variations of a question about being "the man," offering dramatic pauses and playing with verbiage. Here's a look at the ways he handled his ..."

Now that Ellis is the Man, how will he handle it?

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July 25

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Ratto

"Monta Ellis' signing by the Warriors to be Baron II is no surprise. He had no other offers, the Warriors had no alternatives, the Greeks hadn't settled on a playmate for Josh Childress - why, it was a marriage made in heaven, if heaven is defined as a fait accompli. But as the new face of the franchise, Ellis is about to find out how much his narrow shoulders can bear, and then what three times that weighs. This, boys, girls and undecideds, is about to get very interesting. Ellis' career has been made in large part by drafting behind bigger cars - Davis, Stephen Jackson, Don Nelson, even Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. He has been the youngest child, the one everyone finds irresistibly ..."

Warriors re-sign Ellis to multi-year deal

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July 25

Contra Costa Times

"The Warriors locked up restricted free-agent guard Monta Ellis with a six-year deal worth $66 million, according to an NBA insider. However, Golden State could be in danger of losing Andris Biedrins, their remaining restricted free agent.The fourth-year player out of Lanier High in Mississippi is now the highest-paid Warrior, and is expected to be the starting point guard.Meanwhile, a source close to Biedrins said the fifth-year center is being pursued heavily by European teams.The Latvia native is drawing strong interest in a couple of Russian clubs, according to the source, who added that teams are willing to sign him for 3-5 years for what amounts to more than $10 million per year.This ..."

The ball is in Monta's hands

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July 11

Contra Costa Times

columnist Tim Kawakami

"He had a plan. Baron Davis was only barely in that plan. And once Davis took himself out of that plan, Chris Mullin was quite ready to move on to all the other things he wanted to do with the Warriors. After Baron that enormously talented, stubborn, charming, frustrating and often energy-sapping superstar. After Baron, this is unquestionably Monta Ellis' team, which is a lot to put on a young player who has never played point guard full time. But that's the plan. It was two months ago, two weeks ago and it definitely is now."

Will guard Davis be Baron of NY?

May 24

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"There is little doubt that the Knicks will shop for a point guard this summer, but at least one has come shopping for them. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Warriors' Baron Davis has made inquiries into the interest of certain teams around the league, including the Knicks... According to the source, his representation, after a preliminary discussion with the Warriors, has put out feelers to gauge the interest of teams in need of an upgrade at point guard."