Le Ron Ellis - Early Life

Early Life

LeRon Ellis was born to LeRoy Sr. and Lucille Ellis in Los Angeles, California. Ellis is from an athletic family: his father, LeRoy Ellis, is a 14-year NBA veteran and member of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers championship team, his elder sister Lisa Ellis played women's basketball for California State University, Long Beach and the University of Kentucky and his elder brother LeRoy Jr. played NCAA Division I men’s basketball for the University of the Pacific.

LeRoy Ellis traversed the country with the NBA during the first eight years of LeRon's life. The Ellises eventually relocated to Portland, Oregon after LeRoy Sr. retired from basketball. In Portland LeRon Ellis attended Parkrose High School for his freshman and sophomore years. The young student excelled in athletics, playing both basketball and water polo for his school. In 1985 LeRoy moved to Southern California to operate a tire store in Orange County. LeRon decided to join his father even though the rest of the family were planning to move at a later time. The two settled in the city of Anaheim and LeRon Ellis transferred to Mater Dei High School, a nearby private Catholic school with a reputable athletics program. Ellis completed the rest of high school at Mater Dei and enrolled at the University of Kentucky on a basketball scholarship.