The English guard has taken to the EuroCup like a duck to water in his rookie season.
Quinn Ellis, Trento: ‘I’m going out with no fear’
Interviews
13 Mins read
When the game is on the line for Dolomiti Energia Trento, Quinn Ellis has developed a habit of stepping up in the clutch.
Playing in his rookie BKT EuroCup season, the 20-year-old already has two game-winners to his name in just nine appearances, which has allowed Trento to finish the first half of the regular season in sixth place in Group B – the last spot for the playoffs – with a 4-5 record.
It is worth noting that this is not only Ellis’s first campaign in the EuroCup but also his first in the Italian first division. The English guard left the academy of the Sheffield Sharks, his hometown team, at 16 to join Orlandina in the Italian second division, before going on to suit up for Monferrato, also in the Italian second tier, last season. Then, last summer, Trento moved quickly to secure his services.
Now, under first-year head coach Paolo Galbiati, Ellis has shown what it takes to perform at the EuroCup level, averaging 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and a 13.0 PIR. What’s more, his two game-winners – on the road at 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys in Round 4 and at home to Aris Midea Thessaloniki in Round 9 – have displayed he has what it takes to play at this level.
During an interview with EuroCupBasketball.com, Ellis discusses his start to life in the EuroCup, how it felt to score those game-winners, as well as what it means to represent British basketball, coming up against LeBron James’s sons and much more.
Hey, Quinn. You are just nine games into your EuroCup career, but you’ve already made quite a name for yourself. How have you found playing in the competition so far?
“It’s been very up and down for me, I would say. The level is very high, but I’ve been able to show what I can do playing with confidence. I’ve really enjoyed it so far, it’s been great for me.”
His EuroCup game-winners
Some players have to wait years to get one game-winner under their belt, but you already have two to your name. Talk to us about the first of those, on the road at Lietkabelis in Round 4.
“Obviously, we were down 1 [92-91], Coach [Galbiati] called a timeout and we drew up a play to get a flare screen. I was basically the last option if we couldn’t get either of the two flares to come off. The ball came to me and I knew I had to go downhill and try to get to the basket to score. I got downhill, I put a floater up and luckily it rolled in, so I was really happy.”
And now the most recent game-winner against Aris in Round 9. Did it mean more to score it on Trento’s home floor, or was the feeling of silencing the Lietkabelis crowd more satisfying?
“Ooh, that’s a good question. I would probably say the most recent one, because it was more of an important game for us as Aris was really close to us in the standings. They also have a lot of fans, so it’s good to silence them and to also score in front of our home crowd. It was really nice.”
So, should we start a Quinn Time nickname, like Dame Time for NBA superstar Damian Lillard? In the clutch moments, you tend to appear!
“Yeah, it’s been good for me. I’m going out with no fear and obviously the coaches and my teammates trusted me with the last shot on these two occasions, so this could be a good nickname, for sure.”
Your averages are really impressive for someone so early in their career. What’s more, you are shooting decent percentages across the board: 60.6% from two, 40.0% from three and 85.7% on free throws, which are all career highs. How have you been able to be so efficient?
“It’s just been two things, really: just working a lot in the practices and getting extra shots up with the assistant coaches, which has been my main focus because last year I wasn’t happy with how I shot from three; and just playing with confidence. Confidence is everything. When you play with confidence, the sky is the limit for you. It’s been really good, I’ve felt no pressure, no fear and I’m just playing with confidence. Seeing my shots drop has been really good for me.”
"It’s really important to show that us U.K. guys can play as well at the top level."
Flying the flag for British basketball
British players, for one reason or another, are often looked down upon, but you – as well as the London Lions’ British players – are showing that you belong at this level, if not higher. How does it feel to be the poster boy of British basketball?
“It’s obviously a proud achievement for me. I feel like I want to represent the British flag and show that we can play in these high European competitions and play against these high-level European countries. For me, it’s really important to show that us UK guys can play as well at the top level.”
Your journey to Trento and the EuroCup has not been easy. How did those experiences prepare you for the leap to the Italian first division and the EuroCup with Trento?
“I would say that they prepared me a lot, because the year I was in Capo d’Orlando [with Orlandina] and the year I was in Casale [Monferrato], it was tough. We had very up and down seasons, we didn’t win a lot of games, so it really helped me be resilient and go through bad and dark times. Now that the great times are arriving, I’m enjoying them. But when the bad times come, I’m prepared to get through them and know how to get through them, so those two years really helped me. Also on the court as well, [those experiences helped me] to be more vocal, to be more expressive as a player and a leader.”
You also got a chance to come up against LeBron James’s sons, Bronny and Bryce, with the Hoopsfix Elite in 2022. How cool was that experience, especially given you guys came away with the win?
“That was a top three experience for me basketball-wise. There was so much hype. Getting to play together with guys I’ve grown up playing against, going up against LeBron James’s sons [Bronny, Bryce], Penny Hardaway’s son [Ashton], Scottie Pippen’s son [Justin] in front of a packed-out Copper Box [Arena] was surreal. The atmosphere was amazing, then to put the cherry on top we came out with the win, so it was great.”
Carrying on a legacy and a look to the future
You are part of British basketball royalty after all, as your late grandmother, Betty Codona OBE, launched the Sheffield Hatters. Your mother, Vanessa, is the GB assistant coach, too, and your cousin plays for the national team now. How does it feel to be carrying on the legacy of your grandmother and your mother?
“For me, it’s a big thing. For my grandma, I want to just keep making her proud and carry on her name, because she did so much for British basketball. Obviously, my mum as well. I’ll just continue playing as hard as I can to continue making them proud of me every day.”
Given the way you are playing and also the rise of the London Lions, how do you see the future of British basketball?
“I feel like the future of British basketball is definitely on the rise. Now, especially with the London Lions making a name for themselves and lots of players making a name for themselves both in Europe and in the U.S., I could see British basketball coming a long way and being able to compete in the EuroCup, the EuroLeague and be a part of the highest level of European basketball.”
And for Trento, you guys already have as many wins as the team managed all last season. With Trento in sixth place in Group B, the last playoff spot, has the possibility of postseason basketball been spoken about in the locker room?
“It’s been on our minds, but it’s not something that we’re thinking about. We can’t get complacent. We’re living it game by game and just playing with the same team energy and the confidence we’ve all got together and just racking the wins up. We don’t want to think too far ahead, we want to stay in the moment and just keep playing well and keep getting wins, which is important.”