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Former Golden State Warriors star Monta Ellis doubled down on his controversial comment, “Can’t. I just can’t [play]” with then-rookie Stephen Curry in 2009.
“We would have had two small guys in the backcourt,” Ellis said via NBC Sports Bay Area at Chase Center on Saturday, December 16. “And the West was tough at that time. We were just too small. Just too small. I didn’t lie.”
The 6-foot-3 Ellis’ controversial statement proved prescient as the Warriors traded him two-and-a-half seasons later to the Milwaukee Bucks paving the way for the franchise’s golden era.
The 6-foot-2 Curry would then reach superstardom, changing the game with his uncanny outside shooting that soon turned the likes of Ellis — small guards who don’t have the range and can’t defend taller guards — extinct in the NBA.
Monta Ellis: ‘Nothing Personal’
Ellis explained that his controversial comment had nothing to do with Curry, but it came from a basketball standpoint and out of frustration, feeling betrayed by the old Warriors management.
“At that time, there were a lot of things that were promised that didn’t happen,” Ellis said. “That’s part of what was going on with me. But it was never anything personal with Steph. It’s just that we were in the West. That wasn’t going to work.”
During that era, the small backcourt pairing of Ellis and Curry did not stand a chance against the likes of Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili and Brandon Roy, who all stand 6’6 and above.
“It was just one of those things,” Ellis said. “Me and Steph talked about it. What I said that day didn’t have anything to do with me having a problem with him.”
Ellis’ frustration started in 2008 when the Warriors handed him a 30-day suspension without pay after sustaining a serious ankle injury in a moped accident. It escalated when Ellis and former Warriors coach Don Nelson feuded which led to the breakup of the “We Believe” Warriors team.
Monta Ellis Trade Birthed Splash Brother Era
The Ellis trade to the Bucks was met with criticisms from the Warriors fans. New owner Joe Lacob received loud boos over his controversial decision that proved to be the right move.
After Ellis got traded, Curry’s pairing with 6-foot-6 Klay Thompson became the anchor of the Warriors’ dynasty that won the franchise four championships over the past eight seasons.
The new Warriors starting backcourt would soon become the “Splash Brothers” as they became the most prolific 3-point shooting backcourt of their generation.
Monta Ellis’ Failed Comeback Attempt
Ellis attempted to make an NBA comeback in 2021.
Then 35, Ellis announced his comeback attempt with this writer. He prepared for his ambitious goal by training at Impact Basketball with renowned trainer Joe Abunassar.
Ellis earned invitations to work out with several NBA teams, including the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets, but nothing came out of it.
Now, 38, Ellis is running his youth basketball academy in Dallas, Texas. The 12-year NBA veteran no longer harbors dream of a league comeback after his failed attempt in 2021.
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