All in a few hours. Octavius Ellis is the new starting center of Nutribullet Treviso Basket. The 30-year-old American is arriving in the Marca, he will occupy the place vacated on the roster by Michal Sokolowski, who terminated his contract with the Treviso-based company by signing with Besiktas, in Turkey.
The 29-year-old former Olympiacos player started the season in China in Guandong (7.6 points and 7.0 rebounds), but had long been interested in a return to Europe. Born in Memphis, like Adrian Banks, he is a cousin of Monta Ellis, himself a basketball player (in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors before the explosion of the Splash Brothers Curry-Thompson).
208 tall by 107 pounds, Ellis exited Cincinnati in 2016, turning pro in Europe with Mornar Bar, Krasnojarks, Olympiacos and Turk Telekon, eventually ending up in China.
He will take Derek Cooke’s place in the starting quintet: in all likelihood they will now be looking for a team also for the long ex Trieste, destined to start on the bench in the next few matches, before proceeding with the insertion of Sokolowski’s real replacement. That yesterday he signed with Besiktas, leaving the Marca.
«Nutribullet Treviso Basket announces that it has terminated the contractual relationship with the Polish player Michal Sokolowski, who will play the rest of the season in the Turkish team of Besiktas. The club would like to sincerely thank Michal for the commitment and professionalism shown in the two and a half seasons in which he played the TVB shirt as a protagonist. Management, staff and teammates wish Sokolowski the best of luck in his career. Hi Soko, good luck!», the company note.