Jizzle James, Son of Pro Football HOFer Edgerrin, Dismissed From Cincinnati MCBB Team

On This Day: Pervis Ellison Born; Kobe Bryant's Last Game Vs. Celtics

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics center "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison was born in 1967 in Savannah, Georgia. Ellison would play his college ball at Louisville and would be drafted first overall in the 1989 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He would also play for the (then) Washington Bullets (now, Wizards) after an injury-plagued rookie season, and would then sign with the Celtics in free agency in 1994. Injuries continued to limit his playing time for the duration of his career with Boston, including an off-court toe fracture damaged while moving furniture that cost him most of two seasons with the team.

After only two-and-a-half seasons' worth of games spread across five seasons with the Celtics, Ellison would sign with the Seattle Supersonics. He averaged 4.7 points, 5 boards, and a block per game with Boston. It is also the birthday of former Boston forward Phil Farbman, who played just one season with the team in its Basketball Association of America (BAA - an NBA precursor league) days.

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A native of Brooklyn born in 1924, Farbman played just 21 games for the Celtics, the City College of New York graduate averaged 3.4 points per game in that stint.

BOSTON, : Pervis Ellison (R) of the Boston Celtics is slowed down by Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter 28 December at the Boston Garden. Chicago led for most of the first half. (COLOR KEY: Pippen wears red.) (Photo credit should read JOHN MOTTERN/AFP via Getty Images)

Thomas Hamilton, a center who played for Boston in 1996, was born today in 1975 and did not play professionally before being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Celtics.

At 7-foot-2, he was a gamble on size for Boston that ultimately didn't work out, with injuries and suspensions derailing his career with the team almost as soon as it started. The Celtics would waive Hamilton after just 11 games, over which he averaged 2.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game.

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Finally, today was also Kobe Bryant's last game against his longtime rivals, and he scored 34 points in the loss. "It's weird, the last time I'm facing that green," Bryant said courtesy of the Associated Press. "It's been a joy to go against them, to be a part of a rivalry that I've watched for so long."

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Pervis Ellison born; Kobe's last game vs. Celtics

Louisville Stars Darrell Griffith, Pervis Ellison Show Out For Camden ...

Louisville isn't allowed to send its coaching staff to watch Camden star D.J. Wagner at this weekend's Nike EYBL stop in Louisville, but that didn't stop a slew of ex-Cardinals' players from going to show their support.

Darrell Griffith, the star of Louisville's 1980 NCAA championship team, led a parade of former Cardinals to the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center Saturday to watch Wagner, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023 and the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Louisville coach Kenny Payne, who played on the 1986 national championship team, and his staff were not permitted at the event because it's an NCAA Dead Period.

"Special," Griffith told Louisville writer Rick Bozich of Wagner after D.J. Scored 29 points in a 73-71 win over ProSkills Elite Saturday. "Very special."

"He showed me everything I needed to see," added Griffith. "His skill set is special, the way he can finish with either hand and change directions so easily."

Payne this week hired Milt Wagner -- D.J.'s grandfather and Payne's teammate on the 1986 team -- as Director of Player Development and Alumni Relations, a brilliant chess move that does not prevent Louisville from recruiting D.J.

Milt Wagner was on hand alongside Griffith, Pervis Ellison, Herbert Crook, Wiley Brown, Kevin Walls, Jerry Eaves, Tick Rogers, Robbie Valentine, Beau Zach Smith, Will Olliges, Sydney Curry, El Ellis, Mike James and other former and current Cardinals.

The 6-foot-3 Wagner, who did not address the media, was photographed chatting with Griffith, Ellison and other ex-Louisville players.

"D.J. Has been groomed from Day One for the success that he's achieved now," Ellison, who coaches Wagner's U17 AAU team, the New Jersey Scholars, told Bozich.

"Very few superstar type players like that, play the game the right way. This kid, if you watch him play, he's never going to be that kid who takes 30 shots in a game.

"But if you go back and look at the numbers that he puts up, his plus-minus is always at a high level … his parents have done a fantastic job with the young man he's become."

After Kentucky had appeared to be in the driver's seat for Wagner for the last year or so, Louisville now appears firmly in control. The 'Crystal Ball' for Wagner on 247Sports.Com is now 67% in favor of Louisville.

Louisville is also the favorite for Memphis transfer Emoni Bates, who was once compared to a young Kevin Durant and is expected to announce his transfer destination in the next few weeks.

If Payne, the ex-Kentucky and Knicks assistant, can land Bates and then Wagner, it would be quite a 1-2 punch, and would serve notice both nationally and within the Bluegrass State that it figures to be a major player in getting Louisville back to relevance on the national stage after a series of NCAA infractions under Rick Pitino and then Chris Mack.

Dajuan Wagner, the all-time leading scorer in New Jersey prep history, played a one-and-done year under current Kentucky coach John Calipari at Memphis, and he said recently that D.J. "can't go wrong" at either Kentucky or Louisville.

For this weekend -- which includes a game against Bronny James and his Strive for Greatness team at 9 p.M. Saturday -- all of the love appears to be coming from Louisville, though.

"It's funny. D.J. Was like, 'I'm going to meet Dr. Dunkenstein (Griffith).' I said, 'Yeah, you sure will meet him,'" Ellison told Bozich.

"So when (Griffith) walked over to him, it was a surreal moment for him.

"Louisville has got a history of great players who played in the program. These young men aspire to go on and have professional careers. We've had a lot of former players who've had that opportunity. So they look up to those guys."

And soon enough, D.J. Wagner could be one of them.

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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.Com.

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Aja Ellison, Daughter Of Pervis Ellison And Former Terps Sprinter ...

The Maryland women's basketball team recently landed one of the most inexperienced players in the country. That's not a bad thing, though — it's her potential and her pedigree that caught their eyes.

Aja Ellison, the daughter of former NBA player Pervis Ellison and former Maryland sprinter Timi Crawford, committed to the Terps on Sunday. Ellison has only been playing organized basketball since 2010, but has shown huge improvement and plenty of collegiate potential.

"She obviously has the genes — athleticism never was an issue," said Ron Kessler, Ellison's basketball coach at Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J. "We just worked on her skill set, fine tuning her ability with a basketball on the court. Her athleticism far exceeds her skill set. We have just worked and worked and worked with her and really seen her skill set catch up with her athleticism."

The 6-foot-3 Ellison transferred to Life Center as a junior for the 2012-13 season when Pervis was named coach of the boys' team. She previously played at Shipley in Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Because of her size, Ellison played center for Shipley, but Kessler moved her to the wing upon her transfer, saying it was a "disservice" to her because she'll play the wing in college.

"We introduced her to a lot of ball handling, brought her away from the basket, and started developing her mid-range jump shot and attacking the basket off the dribble," Kessler said. "Her ball-handling, her face-up game at 15-to-18 feet are where we want to see her become more of a threat. We know she's going to be so athletic, we know she's going to go to the boards, she's going to lead our team in rebounding — that's no secret."

Ellison averaged a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds) this season and helped Life Center win the National Association of Christian Athletes Division I national title. She picked Maryland over Notre Dame, Louisville — her father's alma mater — and Stanford. Ellison joins North Carolina guard Kiara Leslie and Ohio guard Kristen Confroy in Maryland's 2014 recruiting class.

Originally Published: June 26, 2013 at 2:48 PM EDT

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