Ellis turns heads

In the absence of Kevin Huerter, injured in the shoulder and while Malik Monk poured water like never before (0/11), Sacramento was able to count on Keon Ellis to play the “X factor” during the Kings’ victory on the Orlando floor last night (107-109). Some would say that the wheel ended up turning in Ellis' favor and that the sophomore knew how to seize his chance when it presented itself. His performance indeed punctuates three somewhat crazy weeks for him

Author of a full match, his best in his career, with 19 points, 6 assists, Keon Ellis notably showed himself at the end by putting a big shot at the head of the racket in the “money-time”, then it It was he who scored the last point of the match on a free throw after snatching the defensive rebound of the match three seconds from the end. Enough to validate his return home, he, the native of Eustis, located in the suburbs of Orlando and who did all his classes in Florida before joining the University of Alabama in 2020.

For him, this match will remain as a special accomplishment, in addition to allowing him to build up his confidence.

“Of course, when you have a match like that, it gives you confidence, and it was especially so for me, since my family was there. But it’s clear that it’s important for me to finish this road trip. I think we're going to have another series of difficult trips, so it's good to approach them with more confidence.”, he recognized after the meeting.

Full of confidence for more assurance

His coach Mike Brown was also delighted with his performance on both ends of the field. He first noted his progress in attack compared to the previous game lost in Washington. This time he was more willing and didn't refuse any shots, which ended up smiling on him.

“What bothers me the most offensively is when we miss shooting opportunities. We want all our guys to be able to take their shots, and Keon was one of two who missed a few in Washington. That night, he didn't hesitate for a second. As soon as he had an open situation, he took his chance. So it was something very important offensively”, did he declareevoking in particular this “big time shot” at the head of the racket, ultimately counted at 2 points. “He procrastinated a bit, and then he pulled back to perform a difficult step-back. You could see that every shot he took was done with confidence. He's a good shooter. He's made big shots for us in the past and we want him to continue to do so whenever he gets the opportunity. Putting a shot like that can help any player, especially if they are young and just getting their foot in the door in this league. Aside from the game in Washington, every time he played, he showed this ability to score.”

Mike Brown also highlighted his defensive performance, praising his sense of positioning and his ability to deflect balls. The Kings coach gave him the “belt” for the best defender of the match, the opportunity to once again highlight his complete game and encourage him to continue on this path.

“I know he is 50 kilometers from his birthplace. I find this beautiful. Wherever we are already, I'm happy when I see him playing like that, because I know he's more than capable, but to do that when you go home, it must be a great feeling, for him, but also his family and friends”he added.

How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.