LaPhonso Ellis is among the players born on May 5.
With over 5,000 players in NBA history, at least one player was born on every day of the calendar year – including three leap day ballers. Our day-by-day breakdown of the players born on each day of the year continues. Below are the most notable NBA players born on May 5.
LaPhonso Ellis (1970)
Cinco de Mayo is a fun holiday, and it’s also a great day to celebrate Ellis. “The Fonz” was the fifth overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. This forward finished as an All-Rookie in a remarkable debut season, averaging 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. That set the foundation for a solid career, with Ellis having a career year in 1997. He averaged 21.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks as one of the Nuggets’ best players.
Ellis spent six years in Denver but closed his career with stints in Atlanta, Minnesota and Miami. He officially retired in 2003, averaging 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks throughout his 11-year career. Ellis was also a commentator for ESPN after his playing career.
Want to see every NBA player born on May 5? Here is the rest of the list in chronological order:
- Stan Patrick (May 5, 1922)
- Paul Hoffman (May 5, 1925)
- Moe Radovich (May 5, 1929)
- Bill Buntin (May 5, 1942)
- Mike Silliman (May 5, 1944)
- Herm Gilliam (May 5, 1946)
- Larry Steele (May 5, 1949)
- Roy McPipe (May 5, 1950)
- Lowes Moore (May 5, 1957)
- Rob Williams (May 5, 1961)
- Orlando Graham (May 5, 1965)
- Harold Miner (May 5, 1971)
- DerMarr Johnson (May 5, 1980)
- P.J. Tucker (May 5, 1985)
- Vitor Luiz Faverani (May 5, 1988)
- Isaiah Hartenstein (May 5, 1998)
