The Miami Heat are a refreshing fit for Wayne Ellington
By Simon Smith
North Carolina
Ellington entered college as the eighth ranked recruit, and the top shooting guard, in the nation.
The North Carolina Tar Heels won the race for his services, where he was to learn under legendary coach Roy Williams. For three seasons he shared the backcourt with dynamic point guard Ty Lawson. Their partnership culminated in leading the Tar Heels to the 2009 NCAA championship, with Ellington being named the Final Four’s most outstanding player.
Draft Express gave a great description of Ellington’s prospects upon leaving college, stating that “Wayne Ellington had a unique opportunity to play on a college team that is as similar to an NBA team in terms of role dispersal and talent as you’ll find in the NCAA”.
This refers to him sharing the court with three fellow 2009 NBA draftees Lawson, Tyler Hansborough and Danny Green, as well as future NBA players Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller.
This clearly demonstrated two things: First, Ellington could co-exist with fellow elite players in a winning environment. Secondly, his Final Four performance showed his ability to deliver in clutch situations.
Next: Minnesota