Every once in a while, a promising athlete takes a turn that changes everything, and these can derail the athlete’s career. An example of such a situation would be how Javaris Crittenton’s involvement in the infamous gun incident with Gilbert Arenas. It did irreparable damage to his career to the point of no return. Or how, for some, like Ron Artest or Latrell Sprewell, it led to long-term suspensions. In the case of Monta Ellis, it was a low-speed moped ride that derailed what should have been a smooth rise. At just 22, with a fresh $66 million deal, Ellis was supposed to be the Warriors’ future, until a simple joyride turned into a costly mistake.
Back in 2008, Ellis injured his ankle in what seemed like a minor crash. But the real damage wasn’t just physical. He initially told the team he’d been hurt playing pickup basketball. When the truth came out, the Warriors suspended him for 30 games without pay. That decision reportedly went against what coach Don Nelson and executive Chris Mullin wanted. “We happen to think it’s a very big deal,” Warriors president Robert Rowell said, drawing a line between player loyalty and franchise policy.
Recently, Monta Ellis opened up about the crash on Tony Allen’s Out the Mud podcast. When asked about the scooter incident, Ellis replied, “I’ve been riding mopeds and stuff all my life. Like, just—that’s what we did.” He explained that it wasn’t a reckless ride or bad weather. “I wasn’t popping wheelies or doing no crazy stuff like that. I was just going to slow down and turn into the park, ’cause we about to go in the park or whatever. Wasn’t slippery. I ain’t had no pothole, nothing,” he recalled. Allen pressed if it could’ve been avoided, but Ellis stood firm; it was part of his everyday life growing up in the South.
“I was going like five miles per hour. I was turning to go into the park. It’s like it was meant for it to happen,” He added. Despite the setback, Ellis didn’t let it define him. The injury kept him in a cast for 10 months, and rehab took 18. But he came back stronger, both physically and mentally. “It just made me stronger. It made my mission even more doable, because I’m more focused and locked in, ’cause I wanted to prove everybody wrong,” he said.
Over the next decade, Ellis continued to perform, proving he still had game. And when he left the NBA, it wasn’t because the league moved on; it was his call. As Ellis put it, “The game didn’t surpass me—I just got, you know, tired of the business part of the basketball.” And what’s the business part of the NBA that he got so tired of?
The business side of the NBA and what Monta Ellis found hard to accept
When Monta Ellis was traded from the Golden State Warriors in 2012, it was a harsh reminder of how cold the business side of the NBA can be. As Ellis reflected on his trade to Milwaukee, he said, “That’s what that part of the business that you really don’t know nothing about unless you really be a part of it.”
The trade shocked Ellis, especially after a phone call with Warriors executives just hours before. They assured him he was safe, but moments later, his teammate Dominic McGuire broke the news. “Bro, they just traded you… just came on ESPN, he said look, came at the bottom of the screen,” McGuire told him. It was a brutal moment and one that showed Ellis wasn’t truly valued, despite his years of dedication to the team.
Ellis had spent seven seasons with the Warriors, carving a reputation as the team’s high-scoring leader. But Golden State, looking to reshape its identity, traded him in exchange for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. Despite his great performance, Ellis’s flashy game wasn’t what the Warriors needed anymore. They were aiming for a more defensive-focused strategy, and Ellis’s skills no longer fit their vision.
For Ellis, the pain wasn’t just about the trade itself but how it all went down. “I gave that city everything throughout even the bull crap, even my leg and all that. For me to be able to put my body through the things that I put my body through to get myself back right, and for that woman to come in and do it like that… that was weak,” he shared. It was clear that the business side of the NBA had taken a toll on him, turning something he loved into a painful betrayal.
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