Henry Ellenson wont be going far from home to begin his NBA career. Ellenson was taken with the 18th pick in the NBA Draft Thursday by the Detroit Pistons.
“This means a lot to me and my family,” Ellenson told ESPN. “This is something they know I worked hard for.”
Ellenson will join a front court that includes all-star center Andre Drummond.
Ellenson spent one season as a Golden Eagle, and it was a memorable one at that. Ellenson set single-season program highs in eight categories, including points (561) and rebounds (321).
He was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and was a finalist for both the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year Award. He was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, the first freshman to make the team since Carmelo Anthony.
The Rice Lake, Wisconsin native is Marquette’s first player taken in the first round of the NBA Draft since Jimmy Butler was selected with the 30th pick of the 2011 draft. He’s the first Golden Eagle taken in the top 20 since Dwyane Wade was taken with the 5th overall pick in 2004 draft.
Ellenson is the 57th pick in Marquette history and the first since Jae Crowder in 2012.
Q&A: Ellenson discusses Nowitzki comparison, NBA players reaching out to him in November
He left Marquette fans with some memorable moments despite the team missing the post-season for the third straight season. Ellenson started off the season with a bang, scoring 34 points and 22 assists total against LSU and Arizona State at the Legends Classic. He was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
He helped give Marquette bragging rights in the school’s in-state rivalry with Wisconsin, scoring 15 points and snagging 11 boards. He scored a career high 32 points while grabbing ten rebounds in Marquette’s upset of Butler, arguably the biggest home victory for the Golden Eagles in the past three years.
