Pervis Ellison

Pervis Ellison (born April 3, 1967) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) player.

Pervis Ellison
Personal information
Born (1967-04-03) April 3, 1967
Savannah, Georgia
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolSavannah (Savannah, Georgia)
CollegeLouisville (1985–1989)
NBA draft1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Playing career1989–2000
PositionCenter
Number42, 43, 29
Career history
1989–1990Sacramento Kings
1990–1994Washington Bullets
1994–2000Boston Celtics
2000Seattle SuperSonics
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points4,494 (9.5 ppg)
Assists691 (1.5 apg)
Rebounds3,170 (6.7 rpg)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
1987 Indianapolis Team competition

Ellison was nicknamed "Never Nervous Pervis" for his play with the University of Louisville. At 6 ft 9 in and 242 lb, he started all four years as the center under coach Denny Crum. In his freshman year he led Louisville to its second national championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player—the second time a freshman had ever been awarded that honor, after Arnie Ferrin in 1944 for Utah.

Ellison was made the first overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. Teammate Danny Ainge gave Ellison the nickname "Out of Service Pervis" for the many injuries that would plague him during his professional career. An injury kept him on the sidelines for 48 of 82 games of his rookie year, after which he was traded to the Washington Bullets in a three-team trade involving the Utah Jazz that also sent Jeff Malone to the Jazz and Eric Leckner, Bob Hansen, and draft picks to the Kings. Although he was assigned as a backup in 1990–1991, the following year he became a starter and earned Most Improved Player honors after averaging 20.0 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.68 blocks per game. Arguably the best game of Ellison's NBA career occurred on January 31, 1992, when he recorded 19 points, 19 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 blocked shots and 2 steals against the Knicks.

Assorted injuries plagued his career, including two knee problems that kept him benched for 29 games in 1992–1993 and 30 games in 1993–1994. As a free agent, Ellison signed with the Boston Celtics in 1994 but did not play until midway through the season because he was still rehabilitating from knee problems. A broken toe suffered while moving furniture kept him out of most games between 1996 and 1998. After participating in 69 out of a possible 246 games over the final three seasons with the Celtics, he joined the Seattle SuperSonics in 2000 but retired after playing nine games. He once coached basketball for Life Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey[1] and is a resident of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.[2]

See also

References
  2. Schwartz, Erik. "Basketball tournament to honor slaying victim", Courier Post, September 15, 2005. Accessed March 17, 2011. "Also expected to appear and sign autographs are Pervis Ellison a Voorhees resident and YMCA member who was the top pick in the 1989 NBA draft."
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