Sometimes, older NBA players aren’t necessarily ones who have won scoring titles or made several All-Star teams. It is possible for certain guys to stick around by filling an all-important role, or by having one elite skill that teams continue to covet over and over again. 34-year-old shooting guard Wayne Ellington of the Los Angeles Lakers fits into that category.
Ellington has been in the league since 2009. While his athleticism and mobility are not what they once were, he is still able to spread the floor as a respected three-point shooter. We’ll take a closer look at how the veteran guard’s life and career have evolved up through the present day with the Lakers.
Wayne Ellington – Early Years
Wayne Robert Ellington Junior grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Later in life, Ellington would give his father, Wayne Ellington Senior, a lot of credit for influencing him to play basketball and ultimately fall in love with the game. It is ironic that he got to play with the Lakers because the young Ellington was a big fan of Kobe Bryant, dating back to his days playing at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania.
By certain accounts, Pottstown wasn’t the easiest place to grow up in, but Ellington was able to stay focused on the task at hand thanks to hard work and the help of other community figures.
Wayne Ellington – High School Beginnings
The Pennsylvania basketball star began his career began his ascent up the prospect rankings at Daniel Boone High School. While he would only spend one season there, Ellington’s game was garnering the attention of many across the state. This included elite private schools with more heralded basketball programs.
Wayne Ellington – Transferring High Schools
After his freshman year, the Pottstown native took his talents to Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, where he would tear up the national basketball scene and become one of the premier players in the nation.
While teaming up with fellow future NBA player Gerald Henderson, Ellington led his high school to an undefeated record in conference play in his junior and senior seasons. He would go on to score 1,756 points in his three years at Episcopal and was the number one ranked high school player in the greater Philadelphia area.
Not only was Ellington gaining recognition in Pennsylvania; he was also regarded as one of the best high school talents in the country. He was a McDonald’s All-American and captured the three-point contest at the McDonald’s game as well.
Wayne Ellington – College Underclassman
Ellington’s exemplary career in high school gave him plenty of options when it came to choosing where he wanted to play his college basketball. Schools like the University of Connecticut, Villanova, Wake Forest, and North Carolina State were interested in bringing him in, but the Pottstown native decided to join one of the most storied programs in college basketball history.
Wayne Ellington – Final Year At UNC
However, many Tar Heels fans, and perhaps Ellington himself, would tell you that his most memorable season with North Carolina came in 2008-2009. The college veteran guard and his teammates went all the way and captured the NCAA Tournament championship that season. Not only did the team put together an impressive run in March; they dominated the regular season and postseason in the ACC, winning the conference title in each part of the campaign.
Wayne Ellington – Early NBA Career
After he cut down the nets with his teammates in April 2009, Ellington had very little left to prove on the college ranks. As such, he entered his name in the 2009 NBA Draft. While he didn’t quite have the same level of upside as some of his classmates in that draft, it was hard to see Ellington as a bust in the league. With the 28th overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed Ellington.
In his rookie season, Ellington scored in double digits 17 times. He would end up spending the first three years of his career there, and had astonishingly consistent numbers in each campaign, although battled some injuries in his final year with the Timberwolves.
Wayne Ellington Bounces Around
As it turned out, his stint in Minnesota would be the longest stretch of time Ellington spent with one franchise in his entire 12 year career. In the summer of 2012, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies straight up for Dante Cunningham. The former Tar Heel did not even make it half a season with Memphis, who in turn, traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After finishing out that year with the Cavaliers, Ellington was a free agent and could start to take some control of his NBA future. He ended up signing with the Dallas Mavericks for the 2013-2014 season but ended up setting career lows in points per game and minutes per game. In the summer of 2014, Ellington was moved a number of times, was briefly on the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings rosters before ultimately being waived.
We will touch more on Ellington’s 2014-2015 campaign a little later on, but it suffices to say that his career got better after its lowest point, in more ways than one. He spent the 2015-2016 season in Brooklyn with the Nets, and had a solid season, appearing in 76 games.
Wayne Ellington Bounces Back
It is not often that a player’s career ascends in a meaningful way in his eighth year in the league, but the veteran guard found solid footing during his two plus years with the Miami Heat. His career high scoring averages in a full season came while with the Heat, and firmly established himself as one of the NBA’s most talented veteran marksmen.
He would go on to leave Miami in the middle of the following season, for the Detroit Pistons. He spent the 2019-2020 season with the Knicks and was back in Detroit for the 2020-2021 campaign. Needless to say, his ability to manage traveling from site to site has served him well.
Wayne Ellington – Los Angeles Lakers
Ellington currently finds himself in the Orange County area playing for the Lakers but had a memorable stop with the team earlier in his career. In 2014-2015, his days in the NBA could have been numbered, but Los Angeles gave him the chance to build himself back up.
He started 36 games for them that season, and averaged 10 points a night. He also went through some personal turmoil with the passing of his father, but teammates like Kobe Bryant checked in on him to make sure he would be fine emotionally.
In his second go round with the Lakers, Ellington is part of a fascinating roster. The shooting guard is part of an intriguing group of bench players for the Lakers, which also include Malik Monk and Talen Horton Tucker.
In theory, his presence would provide some much-needed spacing for proven penetrators like LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, who are always looking for spot-up shooters on the outside. It will be something to monitor as to whether Los Angeles uses their lineups differently in the second half of the season.
Wayne Ellington – NBA Future
While Ellington does not figure to remain in the NBA for another decade or more, he will still have value every so often coming off of the bench. He will be most appreciated playing for winning teams, who have players that are looking for experienced shooters off of drive and kicks to the basket.
Wayne Ellington – Personal Life
Wayne Ellington, an accomplished NBA shooting guard, has a life off the court that is filled with love and family. Born in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, on November 29, 1987, Wayne’s journey to professional basketball began early in college, leading him to a successful career in the NBA. In his personal life, Wayne is married to Safie Khaled, his longtime girlfriend.
The couple welcomed their child on March 22, 2017. Wayne’s family also includes his mother, Elaine Ellington, and his late father, Wayne Ellington Sr., who tragically lost his life in November 2014. Wayne’s connection to his family and his commitment to his wife and child paint a picture of a man who values relationships and cherishes the bonds he shares with his loved ones. His personal life is a testament to his character, both as a player and as a family man.
What college did Wayne Ellington attend?
The University of North Carolina ended up being where Ellington called home for three seasons, and he was very productive during his time with the Tar Heels. It did not take long for him to make an impact with the Tar Heels, bringing a depth shooting touch and a plethora of three pointers to his new team as a freshman. Ellington was a 37% three-point shooter that year and averaged just under 12 points per game. Head coach Roy Williams had him in the starting lineup in every single game that season except for Senior Day.
Ellington’s sophomore year was an improvement on his first year in college, as his points per game, rebounds per game, and three points made per game all increased. Somewhat remarkably, he was also sixth in the ACC in field goal percentage that year, which is supremely impressive considering the number of shots he hoisted up from distance.
Is Wayne Ellington still in the NBA?
He signed a one-year deal with the Lakers for just over $2.6 million. The money is fully guaranteed to Ellington, although it remains to be seen whether or not he will be looking for a new team come the offseason. If he does not re-sign with the Lakers, look for another team like the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, or Cleveland Cavaliers to take interest in the veteran player. These are all teams that could use additional shooting potency from the perimeter off the bench and would appear to be fitted for Ellington’s services in the future.
