Freshman power forward Henry Ellenson of Marquette plans to declare for the NBA draft and hire an agent, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. The move has been expected as Ellenson projects as one of the top players in the June 23rd draft. Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress list of the top 100 prospects ranks Ellenson ninth overall, while Chad Ford has him sixth in his latest ESPN Insider rankings.
The 6’10” Ellenson, who hails from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, came to Marquette as a top prospect. He was listed as the ninth-best high school senior in the nation in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index. Ellenson averaged nearly a double-double in his only season with the Golden Eagles with 17.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He shot 45% from the field, but only 29% in 104 attempts from 3-point range.
Ellenson was named Big East Rookie of the Year and was a first-team all-conference selection. Givony says his height, length, reach and strength all project well for an NBA power forward. He’s also mobile and can handle the ball well for his size. Potential drawbacks include weakness as a passer and a lack of explosiveness on defense. He has also struggled with weight problems in the past.