Dale Ellis played basketball for the University of Tennessee from 1979-1983 and led the Vols to the NCAA tournament all four years. Ellis was a two-time first team All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year.
In 1989, he was named to the SEC Team of the 80’s. He averaged 21.2 points per game as a junior and 22.6 points per game as a senior, finishing with over 2,000 career points. He was selected second team AP All-American his junior year when the Vols shared the SEC title with the University of Kentucky and was first team AP All-American as a senior. In Ellis’ final two seasons with the Vols, he missed scoring in double figures just once and left the school first all time in season field goal percentage at .654 (his junior year) and career field goal percentage at .595. He still holds several individual basketball records for the Vols.
Most recently, in February 2009, Dale Ellis was named to the UT Basketball All-Century Team. After his time at Tennessee, Ellis was selected ninth overall in the ’83 draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Known for his long-range accuracy, Ellis had a streak of nine three-point field goals, at the time an NBA record, from March 1984 through November 1985.
He was traded to the Seattle Supersonics in 1986. His playing time increased significantly, and his scoring average reflected this as it jumped from being in single digits with the Mavs, to the mid twenties with the Sonics. He received the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 1987.
Ellis also became an All-Star during the 1988-1989 season and scored 27 points in his all-star appearance. All in all, Ellis played in 1,209 games and had career averages of 15.7 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, a .479 field goal percentage, and a .403 three point field goal percentage. He is third all-time in three-point shots made with 1,719, and is 12th all-time in three-point field goal percentage.
He holds the NBA record for most minutes played in a single game, when he scored 53 points in 69 minutes (out of a possible 73) for the Sonics in a 155-154 loss to the Bucks in five overtimes on November 9, 1989. In, 2014 the University of Tennessee retired Ellis’ No. 14 jersey.