Boogie Ellis scores 17 points, makes NBA statement with Kings

Boogie Ellis got off to a great start with the Kings. Now let’s see if he can keep it going.

The spotlight in NBA summer basketball is falling squarely upon Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, however, another USC basketball alumnus is trying to stick in the league and elevate his professional career. Boogie Ellis got off to a really good start over the weekend in San Francisco. He scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting for the Sacramento Kings in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. This was the NBA statement Boogie needed to make … and he will need to deliver more of them to convince NBA teams that he deserves a regular roster spot.

Boogie Ellis, 23 years old, was viewed as too old to be drafted. That’s not a direct quote from anyone, but 23-year-old Dalton Knecht — eventually picked at No. 17 by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft — was widely viewed as a player whose stock crashed because of his age. Boogie Ellis is a less impressive, less imposing version of Knecht, so when Knecht fell several spots from his projected position, Boogie Ellis had to have known that his odds of getting drafted were low. The Kings gave him a chance to make his case in summer basketball. This 17-point display is a great first start, but now Boogie has to back it up with even more strong performances.

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