The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
Pervis Ellison had the nickname “Never Nervous” at Louisville because of his extraordinary play as a freshman. Following in his father’s rather large footsteps hasn’t bothered Malik Ellison.
“I don’t feel any pressure, but it’s a lot to live up to,” the Voorhees, N.J., native said. “It’s actually driven me more to become a better player. I want to be better than him. I want to make my own name.”
It obviously won’t be easy. Pervis Ellison won a national title at Louisville as a freshman, was the No. 1 pick of the Kings in the 1989 NBA Draft and enjoyed a solid, though injury-plagued, 11-year NBA career. Malik, under Pervis’ tutelage, will play Division I basketball also. He owes his dad much of his success up to this point.
“He’s been everywhere I’ve been and I want to go,” he said of his dad, his high school coach at Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J. “He knows a lot. He teaches me a lot. It’s great having him as a father figure. … Just knowing what it takes to make it to the next level, he showed me how hard I have to work.”
Ellison is one of the most coveted remaining guards in the Northeast for the 2015 class, a three-star, 6-foot-5 standout who is being recruited by the likes of Rutgers, California, Minnesota, South Carolina, Temple and Wake Forest. After losing out on Brandon Sampson, a four-star guard and previous commitment under former coach Steve Lavin, St. John’s has made Ellison a priority.
One college coach who has seen a lot of Ellison said he isn’t necessarily a knockdown jump-shooter, but he isn’t a liability from the perimeter, either. More importantly, the coach said, he does a lot of things well, whether it’s scoring, defending or creating opportunities for teammates.
“He’ll make you play him, honestly,” the coach said. “He has a basketball pedigree, obviously, which helps him, and has an IQ to be an effective player [in the Big East]. … I think he can make an impact.”
St. John’s coach Chris Mullin met with Pervis Ellison on Tuesday and will host the entire family for an unofficial visit Tuesday. Ellison said he is in no hurry to make a decision and is willing to listen to everyone. While the Johnnies have gotten involved late, that doesn’t preclude them. When he does make a decision, Ellison said it will be based on “the best fit, where I can go and play a major role.”
“Obviously, they’re a new staff. They seem pretty good, they got their minds on the right things in terms of going into the season,” he said of St. John’s. “They’re focusing on player development.”
St. John’s announced the signings of junior college transfer Darien Williams, Tennessee transfer Tariq Owens and Missouri State transfer Ron Mvouika on Thursday. Yankuba Sima, a 6-foot-11 big man and the fourth player Mullin has landed since taking the job just over three weeks ago, has yet to sign.
Mullin and assistants Barry “Slice” Rohrssen and Matt Abdelmassih met with Cheick Diallo, the McDonald’s All-American from Our Savior New American (L.I.), on Wednesday. A source said the meeting was “great” and was another opportunity for Mullin to get to know Diallo, who is also looking at Kentucky, Kansas, Pittsburgh and Iowa State, and is expected to announce his college decision next week.
On Monday, Seton Hall hosted Kansas State transfer Jevon Thomas, a point guard from Queens with two years of eligibility left, and hosted three-star forward Eric Cobb, a Kansas State de-commit on Thursday. VCU, Boston College and South Carolina also are involved. … Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Eric Paschall announced his transfer from Fordham to Villanova on Thursday, while on Monday forward Manny Suarez also left The Bronx school for Division II Adelphi. … On Tuesday, Fordham offered scholarship to Cardozo junior trio Rashond Salnave, Tareq Coburn and Aaron Walker.