Scouting Report: Henry Ellenson

Name: Henry Ellenson DOB: 1/13/1997 (19) School: Marquette

Height: 6’11.5 Weight: 242 Projected Position: PF/C

Wingspan: 7’2.25 Standing Reach: 9’0

2015-16 Stats:

17.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.5 bpg, 2.4 tpg (33.5 mpg)

44.6 FG%, 74.9 FT%, 28.8 3FG%, 53.4 TS%, 48.0 eFG%

26.7 USG%, 7.8 ORB%, 24.2 DREB%, 16.5 TRB%, 4.4 BLK%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Post Offense

Ellenson is a skilled post scorer, showing a good combination of versatility and strength. He has very good size and a solid body, which he uses well to establish position, getting low and using his body to seal off a defender. Ellenson has the lower body strength to anchor his spot, and he does a good job setting a big target for an entry pass. He is able to set up around either block and make a move over either shoulder, as well as facing-up and making a quick move to the basket or knocking down mid-range jumpers. Ellenson’s footwork is good, and while his moves are rarely quick, they are strong and decisive. He has nice touch on his shots around the lane, and he has the strength to power through defenders. Ellenson also does a great job using his body to create separation on his post moves, whether it’s a hook or a quick runner across the lane. He also has the ability to shoot with either hand effectively out to 6-7 feet from the rim, opening up an array of moves he can go to depending on how the defender guards him. Ellenson isn’t a great ballhandler in the post, but he does try to limit the amount of dribbles he uses.

Ellenson uses his size well to get off a quick turnaround jumper, which he will do on either block and over either shoulder, and as mentioned above, he is also able to face-up to knock down jumpers, or make a move off the dribble, using his strength to power his way to the basket. He can have some trouble scoring in traffic, especially missing some easy shots, but, for the most part, if he gets close to the rim, he finds a way to finish. Ellenson can be a very good option in pick-and-roll sets, opening up well, making a quick move to the rim, and finishing in a variety of ways, as well as recognizing opportunities to slip the pick and get a clear path to the rim. He is also a good option in pick-and-pop situation, getting into the open space quickly and showing some consistency in the mid-range, and sometimes long-range, area. Ellenson has good vision as a low post passer, and can make some strong passes, though he can be slow to react to double-teams at times, and needs to do a better job anticipating where he’ll find an open teammate.

Perimeter Shooting

Ellenson’s numbers won’t wow anyone at a glance, but I think it is an area where he will find some success eventually at the NBA level. He can be a good spot shooter in both mid- and long-range areas, as long as he keeps his form consistent. Ellenson goes into his motion quickly off the catch, with good balance and release, but if he feels rushed by a defender, he shortens his motion, even if the defender really isn’t in a good position to close. Ellenson is also a decent mid-range shooting option either facing up out of the post, spotting up, or in pick-and-pop situations, and should continue to improve. He didn’t quite show NBA three-point range last year, but with his size and strength, it shouldn’t be a long-term issue, and though his shot selection was poor, at times, not being a primary option on offense should lead to him getting better looks on offense. Ellenson has even shown a little ability to hit his jumper off a few dribbles, including a step-back mid-range jumper, but he hasn’t been consistent.

Ballhandling/Penetration

Depending on the match-up, Ellenson also has the ability to take the ball off the dribble to the rim. He uses both hands well, and can attack in either direction, though his ballhandling can be a bit sloppy, letting the ball get away from him as he nears help defenders. He doesn’t really have the speed to always get to the rim, and while he will attempt short jumpers or runners, but he hasn’t found consistency with them yet. Along with that, to make sure he gets a step on a defender, he gets caught traveling a bit much. Ellenson can have some problems getting the ball up high enough off the dribble to avoid shot blockers around the basket. He shows some decent body control on his way to the basket, especially for his size, but sometimes his momentum can be a bit much, leading to ending up off-balance or an offensive foul. It’s not a big part of Ellenson’s game, but he is skilled enough to be able to take advantage of certain match-ups.

Free Throw Shooting

Ellenson is a good free throw shooter for a big man, hitting 75 percent from the line on the season. He has a consistent routine, motion, and release, and even his misses just seem to be either from being tired or rushing through his usual motion. More important, Ellenson gets to the line a good amount, a 44 percent free throw rate, especially for a player who is so diverse on offense. When he is around the basket, he has the strength to power through contact, and his array of fakes are often used to try and draw contact.

More from Hoops Habit

Defense

Post Defense/Help Defense

Ellenson was a good post defender last season, and he is much more comfortable there than out on the perimeter. Ellenson positions himself well between his man and the basket, and while he shows a decent stance and good footwork, he needs to use his body a bit better; no one his size should get backed down as easily as he does. As mentioned, his footwork is good, and though he gets backed down, he can force his man to take a longer path, though he does have trouble with more athletic big men who can face-up out of the post. Ellenson does a good job keeping his hands up, and though not a great shot blocker, he does what he can to make a shot tougher. Ellenson has shown good awareness, seeing the floor well, and can be a very good help defender around the basket, even if a step slow at times. Ellenson can be a good pick-and-roll defender, hedging well on the ballhandler, and doing a great job on containment, but he can be slow to recover.

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Ellenson has some understanding of what he needs to do as a perimeter defender, but he just doesn’t have the speed/agility to really be effective, though he should fare well in certain match-ups. His positioning is good, though he does tend to give a bit of space knowing he can be beat off the dribble. On the ball, he shows a decent defensive stance for his size, and good, but slow, lateral movement, and he is slow to react to changes in direction. Ellenson’s effort on the perimeter can also be spotty, often giving up on his man once he gets beat. Off the ball, Ellenson moves fairly well, and he does a good job seeing the floor, though has a tendency to get turned around from ball-watching. He has a tendency to close hard, often with him flying by his man who gives a simple shot fake, so he needs to watch how he positions himself as a help defender so he doesn’t have to make up a lot of ground quickly.

Rebounding

Ellenson is a very good rebounder, using his size and strength to an advantage on both ends of the floor, even without great speed or athletic ability. Ellenson is active on the offensive boards, using his body well to carve out space, tracking the ball well to get into position, and going strong after the missed shot, using his length to get the ball at a high point. While he can be very good at getting the rebound, he doesn’t have the success he should on second chance opportunities, where he can have some problems finishing in traffic, or he’ll be content to just try and tip the ball in, which he is good at it, but he’s not always in a great spot for. Ellenson is also very good at hustling down the floor and getting some offensive rebound opportunities in transition, as defenders don’t often account for him coming in strong. Ellenson is even better on the defensive boards, boxing out well and going strong after the ball. He shows good energy on the defensive glass, and will continue to pursue the ball, even if it doesn’t bounce the way he anticipates. Ellenson has shown some ability as a strong outlet passer, and his ability to hit players in stride running down the floor gets the offense some great transition chances.

Transition

Ellenson runs the floor well for his size, even if he doesn’t have speed or athleticism that will blow you away. He can get out and run one of the wings, or come down the floor as a trailer, with the ability to take the ball off the dribble or spot up for a mid- or long-range jumper. Ellenson has had a little success pushing the ball himself in transition, but it’s not a good idea unless he has no one in front of him. As mentioned above, he also does a very good job following his teammates on the break and hitting the offensive glass to clean up their misses.

Intangibles/Summary

Ellenson had a very good freshman season, though it didn’t seem he got the attention many others did. He measured just short of 7-foot tall at the NBA Combine, and he has one of the most versatile skill sets of anyone else that size in this draft. Ellenson is a good post scorer, using his big body well, with an array of post moves, and the ability to score well with either hand around the basket, which doesn’t seem like a big deal, but watch enough of these young players and you realize how rare it is becoming. He also has the ability to knock down mid- and long-range jumpers, though he has yet to find consistency, and his shot selection can use some work. Ellenson also has the ability to put the ball on the floor a bit to get to the basket, but it is really dependent on the match-up, and he really doesn’t have the speed to get all the way to the rim, but it is something to watch for moving forward. Ellenson was very good on the offensive boards, using his big body well and having a knack for tracking and getting in position to grab the miss. He can have some problems finishing in traffic, especially on second-chance shots, though he does have the strength to power through defenders at the rim. Defensively, Ellenson is much better in the post than on the perimeter, though with either, he does struggle against athletic forwards. He does use his size well to fight for position, though he can afford to be more aggressive in holding his ground. When on the perimeter, he has the fundamentals down; he just doesn’t have the foot speed to prevent from getting beat off the dribble, and he needs to find ways to adjust quickly. Ellenson can be a good defender in the pick-and-roll, showing a very good understanding of how to contain the ballhandler. As on the offensive end, Ellenson is very good on the defensive boards, carving out space well with his size and being aggressive going after the ball. In terms of the young players in this draft, Ellenson may be the most polished, though many may mistake that as not having the same upside as many others, which is not true at all. Not having the same athletic ability as many of the other bigs may also give some teams pause, but his skill and understanding of the game can help him overcome some rough patches. The biggest thing for Ellenson is while he may be a bit more advanced than other young players, the gap can close quickly, and he needs to work hard to continue progressing.

Draft Value: Late Lottery – Mid-First Round – #9-17

Ellenson’s potential versatility inside and out will be attractive to many teams, even if he doesn’t have the athletic ability that many others have in this draft. If he can become a consistent long-range shooter, he can become a match-up problem for teams, but finding the right match-ups for him on defense could take some time. Still, easily a worthwhile risk in the lottery.

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