There is a sense of pride not just from Miami Heat fans, but around the Philippines when Filipino-American Head Coach Erik Spoelstra won his first NBA championship.
And meanwhile, there is another Filipino-American from Florida who is aiming to make history by making the League.
Chris Ellis, the talented swingman of the NLEX Road Warriors stands at 6’6’’ and weighs 205 lbs. He powered his team en route to the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) D-League Foundation Cup title, enabling the Road Warriors to complete a three-peat, which is an arduous feat in any basketball level. It is also notable that his team was able to finish with an impressive 13-0 win-loss record.
Indeed, this 23-year old guy knows how to win.
Apart from his stellar performance in the PBA, here are more of the merits he has received in a relatively short period of time:
• His talents are beginning to be recognized in other countries. Via WorldStarHipHop.com, he was named as the ‘Basketball Talent of the Week’.
• November, 2011 – Chris played a major role for Sinag-Pilipinas in their quest to bring home the gold medal in the 26th Southeast Asian Games (SEA GAMES).
• This young shooter was also featured in SLAM Philippines back in December 2011.
• Known for being his team’s catalyst, this rising star from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor is far more recognized for his aggressiveness in the open court and his flexibility to hit from almost anywhere in the playing court.
While making a bit of a name for himself in Filipino basketball circles, the chances that he could be the first Filipino to play in the most prestigious basketball level in the world is not far-fetched.
In this year’s PBA draft, which will be held on August 19, Ellis is deemed to be the most athletic and promising among pro hopefuls. He is a long and athletic shooting guard/small forward who can attack other teams’ defenses. And apart from his athleticism, which is an advantage he utilizes well, he also has excellent playmaking skills as exemplified in his stint in the PBA D-League.
Here’s to one day seeing a Filipino don an NBA jersey. And maybe, just maybe, it might be Chris Ellis.
