Professional Basketball Player. For fourteen seasons (1962 to 1976), he played at the center and forward positions in the National Basketball Association with the Los Angeles Lakers, Baltimore Bullets, Portland Trailblazers and Philadelphia 76ers. After attending Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, he played collegiate basketball at St. John's University and was the recipient of the Haggerty Award during the 1961-1962 season. His 16.5 rebound-season-average and his 30 rebounds in one game in 1961, to date remains the school's record. Selected by the Lakers as the 6th overall pick during the 1962 NBA Draft, he appeared in 1,048 regular season games, compiling 10,176 points and 8,709 rebounds. In the course of his career, Ellis established himself as a durable player who rarely missed a game. During the 1966-1967 season while with Baltimore, he yielded a career-high in points with 1,203. He had the distinction of being a member of the Trailblazers, when Portland debuted in the league in 1970 and experienced a world championship while with the Lakers during the 1971-1972 season. Following his basketball career, he worked in property management. His son LeRon Ellis became player in the NBA during the 1990s. He died following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Professional Basketball Player. For fourteen seasons (1962 to 1976), he played at the center and forward positions in the National Basketball Association with the Los Angeles Lakers, Baltimore Bullets, Portland Trailblazers and Philadelphia 76ers. After attending Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, he played collegiate basketball at St. John's University and was the recipient of the Haggerty Award during the 1961-1962 season. His 16.5 rebound-season-average and his 30 rebounds in one game in 1961, to date remains the school's record. Selected by the Lakers as the 6th overall pick during the 1962 NBA Draft, he appeared in 1,048 regular season games, compiling 10,176 points and 8,709 rebounds. In the course of his career, Ellis established himself as a durable player who rarely missed a game. During the 1966-1967 season while with Baltimore, he yielded a career-high in points with 1,203. He had the distinction of being a member of the Trailblazers, when Portland debuted in the league in 1970 and experienced a world championship while with the Lakers during the 1971-1972 season. Following his basketball career, he worked in property management. His son LeRon Ellis became player in the NBA during the 1990s. He died following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
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