The Stopper

Ellis' defense draws praise from The Clarion Ledger

"Monta was a lot better defender than I thought he'd be," Warriors assistant Russell Turner said. "He was really impressive defensively. He went against Sebastian Telfair (of Portland), who's one of the fastest and quickest guys in the NBA, and did a good job in his first game. We put him on Luke Jackson (of Cleveland), a big perimeter player who was the 10th pick in the draft last year. Monta completely shut him out."

His strong showing on defense helped create a positive first impression for Ellis, who the Warriors drafted in the second round with the 40th overall pick last month. Unlike first-round picks, Ellis — who passed on a chance to play for Mississippi State to enter the draft — won't receive a guaranteed two-year deal worth at least $2 million.

The early returns, however, suggest Ellis will be picking up an NBA paycheck next season in Oakland, Calif.