By Tim Gelt
Q: Did you have any idea before the draft in 1992 that Denver was a possible landing spot for you?
A: I wasn’t sure. I knew that they had me in two, three times before and each time the concern was as a power forward could I shoot the basketball because they had only seen me score the ball in the low post. And what they found out right away is that I consistently – over two different tryouts – shot the ball well.
I remember back in May they (prognosticators) had me going late first round, and then after I visited all the teams there was speculation that I would go somewhere between 17 and 21. Then as the draft approached there were some that said I could go anywhere from 11 to 21. The night before I had no idea where we were going to go. You know, you’re young, I had a wife and daughter. We were excited about our new journey. The one thing I did know was that Denver was very interested in taking me and that if I was available at 13 that they may have pulled the trigger. Part of the ascension up the draft board, the concern was answered about my ability to shoot out from 15-18 feet as I went from team to team. I think I either did nine visits in 11 days or 11 visits in 14 days and I went to Denver twice. It was a pretty aggressive audition process. Like I said, the night of I had no idea where I was going.
Q: What were your impressions of the city of Denver? Did you get to do anything in the city other than your workout?
A: Pretty much in and out. The first time I had a little more time on the ground. At that time we weren’t working out at McNichols but were at the University of Denver a little bit south of the city. I went from the airplane, checked into the hotel and then they worked me out afterwards. The second time I was in they took me from the airplane straight to DU to shoot right away because I shot so well the first time around, [they wanted to know] if that was a fluke or could I genuinely shoot the ball that well. So to answer your question, it was quick in and out and really didn’t get a chance to take in the city. The only thing I could really take in was the fact that I thought it was beautiful. Flying in and seeing the mountains you could see downtown and the beautiful buildings that were down there. Depending on which way you come in you could see the old horse on top of the old Mile High Stadium. I was more overwhelmed just because I had never been there before.
Q: Take me through that night when you heard David Stern announce that you had been picked by the Denver Nuggets. What was going through your mind?
A: We were sitting at the table. By this time Shaq had been taken number one, Alonzo Mourning two. Christian Laettner third, Jim Jackson fourth. Two minutes before and my agent looks over at me and says, ‘Denver is going to take you at 5!’ My wife and I looked at each other and said ‘Really?’ A few minutes later they announced my name. There were so many different emotions going on. Having been there twice and being familiar with Mike Evans, Gene Littles, Dan Issel and then Bernie Bickerstaff, I had a strong comfort zone with them. Wow! So they called my name, I remember kissing my wife, hugging my mom, mother-in-law and everyone else who was there and honestly once you start walking towards that stage everything fast forwards. It speeds up so quickly. At one moment you’re on the stage with David Stern feeling overwhelmed with that because of his big personality, and then you’re off to the back talking to all these different media people and different media outlets. They just take you from spot to spot to spot. Everything happens so quickly. Before you knew it, Bryant Stith and I were on the first flights out heading from Portland – which is where our draft was – to Denver for media day the next day.
LaPhonso Ellis was selected by the National Basketball Association's Denver Nuggets as the fifth overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft.
Q: You were known for having so much Nuggets pride when you played. When did that develop? Right away or did that take some time?
A: Almost immediately! Part of that was that when I was at Notre Dame it just so happened that I was buddies with all the security guys both at the ACC – which was where we played – and the campus security people. I was buddies with and knew almost every single one of the custodial engineers at the ACC. Those were my guys and that was my comfort zone, so right away when we got to Denver I wanted to meet all of those people. Meanwhile, Tim Leiweke – our team President – really took a strong interest in showing me that it’s not just about what we do on the floor. Yes, we want to put the best product on the floor as we possibly can and put ourselves in position to try to win a world championship, yet there’s a bigger picture. How you treat these guys, custodial engineers, et cetera, along with how you carry yourself off the floor, in the community, it all works together. The more we invest ourselves in the people on our staff and the more we invest ourselves in the community then the better it is for the whole.
Tim Leiweke and Bernie Bickerstaff were very careful with teaching me that it’s not only about what we do on the floor. In fact, much of what we do in terms of an organization is making ourselves accessible and really getting busy in our community. It’s equally as important to be a great ambassador of the Denver Nuggets off the floor as it is on the floor, and the two have to go together and can’t be different. So I learned that from Tim Leiweke and Bernie Bickerstaff at the time and that only enhanced what I feel that God placed in me anyway which is always be aware of the people that don’t get all of the attention, that work really hard to make all of what’s on the floor and all that goes on at the games possible. That’s all of our security folks, that’s all of our custodial engineers, that’s our ushers, that’s our marketing staff. All the people in the company that show up at seven o’clock in the morning on a game day and are there until midnight after the game is over where as I’m coming in at maybe 9:30 in the morning to shoot around, then I’m usually gone by 11 or 11:30 a.m. I’m back by about fivce and we play the game and I’m usually gone by about 10’oclock at night. So it’s really important to understand the energy expended by those people who make it possible for the fans and for us to have a good experience on the floor.
The culmination of all of that effort wasn’t more evident than when we went to Seattle for that deciding Game 5 (1994 NBA Playoffs – First Round). So we pull off that win and the beauty of it is all of those people from Tracy Hartman to Becky Grupe, you name it, were in the stands and we could look up and see all of them and we can all celebrate together. Tim Leiweke and Bernie Bickerstaff flew them all to the game. Likewise, when we were down 3-0 to Utah and came back and tied that series up at 3-3 and go back to Utah for Game 7. When we won Game 6 we were all able to celebrate that night. The beauty of what Tim and Bernie taught me allowed a connection between the players and the staff, creating a family environment, and so when they were up, we were up. When we were up, they were up and vice versa, when they were down, we were down. We did so much together, we truly were a family and that’s what made 1994 beating Seattle and being down 3-0 to Utah and that’s what made that so amazing because we got to celebrate all that happened that magical year together. That was so special and so unique. We all shared it because we were all working towards the same goal, which was trying to make the Denver Nuggets the premier franchise in the NBA. The way McNichols was set itself up for great interpersonal relationships.
Q: 23 years later you still carry around that Nuggets pride. Can you talk about that?
A: That organization and that community invested a lot in me. There are so many people in that organization and so many people in that community that stood by me when I went through all the trials that I went through with all my injuries. I take great pride in wearing that “Nuggets” brand. Here I am, 23 years later sandwiched between the Chicago Bulls fan base here in South Bend because we’re 90 miles due East of Chicago, and fans of the Indiana Pacers because we are only three hours north of Indianapolis, and yet all these years later I still proudly wear my Denver Nuggets gear that you guys send me.
I know the colors are different. I know the building in which the Nuggets play in is different, but having had that experience for six years, it never goes away. That six years from 22 to 28 years of age was during the formative years of my adulthood. The memories, the affinity for and the loyalty to that organization doesn’t fade easily even when there’s been a change in the logo, change in the venue locations and change in management.
Q: The Nuggets hold the seventh overall pick in the draft this year, the highest pick the Nuggets have had since 2003. As a former member of the Nuggets and resident of this city, what kind of advice would you give to this player, whomever that ends up being, coming into this city and organization?
A: I would say to that player his ability to be accessible to the business side as well as to the basketball side of our operation and willingness to get involved – truly, truly involved, hands dirty in the community – that kid will have an unbelievable experience in one of the, what I would consider, the best sports towns in the country, and those people will love him through thick and thin. If that kid can buy in to what we’re trying to do on the corporate side as well as what we’re trying to do on the basketball side and be genuine about an investment in the community, that kid will have a fantastic experience win or lose.