| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1936-02-11)February 11, 1936 |
| Died | May 6, 2010(2010-05-06) (aged 74) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Hamilton (Hamilton, Ohio) |
| College | Niagara (1955–1958) |
| NBA draft | 1958: 3rd round, 16th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Playing career | 1958–1966 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 23, 12, 30 |
| Career history | |
| 1958–1960 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1960–1962 | Wilkes-Barre Barons |
| 1962–1963 | Allentown Jets |
| 1963–1966 | Wilmington Blue Bombers |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 607 (5.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 616 (5.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 86 (0.7 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Alex"Boo" Ellis (February 11, 1936 – May 6, 2010) was an American professionalbasketball player for theMinneapolis Lakers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA).[1][2] Ellis played in the league for just the1958–59 and1959–60 seasons and averaged 5.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.[2]
Ellis grew up inHamilton, Ohio, and attendedHamilton High School.[3] He led the school to 25–3 record and a 1954 state championship as asenior, garnering first team all-state and state tournament MVP honors that year.[3] Ellis then went on to play college basketball forNiagara University.
A 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 185 lb.forward/center, he quickly became a dominant force in both scoring and rebounding.[3] Since the rules back then did not allowfreshmen to play varsity sports, Ellis had to wait until hissophomore year in 1955–56 to suit up officially for thePurple Eagles. In his three seasons, he accumulated 1,656 points and a still-standing school record 1,533 rebounds.[4] In his first season of eligibility, Ellis grabbed a school single season record 485 rebounds, only to break his own record the next two consecutive years with 522 and 526, respectively.[4] During a game againstKent State in hisjunior year, he recorded a 31-point, 31-rebound effort.[4] In Ellis' final season, heled NCAA Division I in rebounding and was named the Western New York Athlete of the Year.[5] He also guided the Purple Eagles to twoNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) berths in his three-year career.[4]
Following his standout collegiate career, the Minneapolis Lakers selected him as the first pick in the third round (16th overall) in the1958 NBA draft.[2] After two NBA seasons, Ellis played seven seasons in theEastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL).[6] He won anEPBL championship with theAllentown Jets in 1963.[7] Ellis was selected as theEPBL Most Valuable Player and a member of the All-EPBL First Team in 1961 and to the All-EPBL Second Team in 1962.[6] He also played three seasons with the Marcus Haynes Fabulous Magicians, a traveling professional team.[3] In his later life, Ellis worked as a security guard in his hometown of Hamilton.[3] He spent two and a half years of his life living with his daughter inIndianapolis, before succumbing the effects of a heart attack he had suffered two weeks earlier.[3] Ellis died on May 6, 2010, at age 74.[1][4]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
Source[2]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958–59 | Minneapolis | 72* | 16.7 | .430 | .708 | 5.3 | .8 | 5.9 |
| 1959–60 | Minneapolis | 46 | 14.6 | .346 | .671 | 5.1 | .6 | 3.9 |
| Career | 118 | 15.9 | .402 | .695 | 5.2 | .7 | 5.1 | |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Minneapolis | 13* | 19.6 | .438 | .581 | 7.2 | 1.2 | 6.8 |
| 1960 | Minneapolis | 3 | 12.0 | .200 | .500 | 4.0 | .07 | 2.7 |
| Career | 16 | 18.2 | .411 | .564 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 6.0 | |