When Perry Ellis (Wichita,KS/Heights video, pics) finishes his high school basketball career in the spring of 2012, it’s likely that Ellis will leave Wichita Heights as the most decorated player in the history of Kansas high school basketball. Ellis, who has been name the Gatorade Player of the Year for three straight years, will also leave Heights as one of the most highly recruited players that sunflower state has ever seen. When Ellis became a household name to college basketball fans back in 2008, it seemed almost ridiculous just how long it would be before Ellis would decide where he would play college basketball. Throughout all this time, Ellis has remained the same quiet, shy, tough, hard-working, skilled and determined kid. He’s answered all of the critics that thought his game had peaked, or said he wouldn’t grow anymore, or that he wasn’t athletic enough, or that he couldn’t hit from outside the paint. Through it all – Ellis has let his game do the talking for him. And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that Ellis has also remained a 4.0 student throughout high school, and despite all of his accolades on the court, being the best he can possibly be in school has always been his #1 priority.
For almost four years Ellis has been recruited by some of the top programs in the land – and now the time for Ellis to make his college decision isn’t that far away. No – Ellis yet ready to make any sort of announcement right now, but according to his mother Fonda Ellis, a plan does seem to be coming together.
Ellis has been on a tear throughout the spring/summer circuit, and this week is no exception. Ellis, who is currently playing in the adidas invitational in Indianapolis, has been on a scoring tear averaging 26 points per game in the first five games of the invitational. After Indianapolis, Ellis will look to continue his hot play at the King James Summer Showcase in Chicago, and then the Summer Jam 2011 in Wisconsin before finishing up the busy month of July in Las Vegas at the adidas Super 64.
It’s after that the recruiting process will once again work its way up to the top of the priority list.
“Perry mentioned that after the summer he might cut his list again and then take his official visits,” said Fonda Ellis. “But he wants to wait until summer is over,” she added.
If you can add, and I hope you can, you are aware that there are more than five schools that Ellis is currently considering. Kansas, Kansas State, Duke, Kentucky, Memphis, Oklahoma and hometown Wichita State are currently the school Ellis is considering. 7 schools – five official visits.
Hmmmmmm….. Ok – TheShiver’s guess of where Ellis will visit. Memphis, Kentucky, Kansas State, Duke and Kansas will be the five schools left standing.
We will all have to wait for the summer to come to a close before seeing if that prediction is right. We don’t have to wait at all to see that Perry Ellis has done a terrific job of remaining one of the best players in the 2012 class, and one of the best recruits to follow throughout the process.
