Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here’s the detailed information about Wayne Ellington:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Wayne Robert Ellington Jr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born November 29, 1987
  • Hometown: Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
  • Height: 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m)
  • Weight: 207 lbs (94 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m)
  • Shoe Size: 13 US
  • Number: Wore jersey numbers 19, 2, 21, 22, and 20 during his career
  • Position: Shooting guard
  • High School: Episcopal Academy (Merion, Pennsylvania)
  • College: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (North Carolina Tar Heels) (2006–2009)
  • NBA Draft: 2009, Round 1, Pick 28 by the Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Teams Played For:
    • Minnesota Timberwolves (2009–2012)
    • Memphis Grizzlies (2012–2013)
    • Cleveland Cavaliers (2013)
    • Dallas Mavericks (2013–2014)
    • Los Angeles Lakers (2014–2015, 2021–2022)
    • Brooklyn Nets (2015–2016)
    • Miami Heat (2016–2019)
    • Detroit Pistons (2019, 2020–2021)
    • New York Knicks (2019–2020)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: 1 son (Wayne Ellington III)
  • Siblings: Not publicly disclosed

Player Archetype / Play Style

Wayne Ellington’s player archetype was that of a movement shooter: a floor-spacing guard whose main value came from running defenders through screens, stretching the arc, and converting catch-and-shoot chances at volume. Defensively, he was more of a system wing than a shutdown stopper, competing within team structure without being the kind of perimeter defender built to erase top scorers; offensively, he filled a specialist role as an off-ball scorer who thrived in handoff actions, relocation threes, transition spacing, and quick-trigger perimeter shooting rather than heavy on-ball creation. At 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, Ellington had solid size for a shooting guard, and his play style was built on constant movement, balance, shot readiness, and the kind of gravity that could open the floor even when he was not touching the ball.

Fun Facts

  • He won the NCAA Championship with North Carolina in 2009 and earned the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Wayne Ellington Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft …
NBA.com — Wayne Ellington | Guard | Los Angeles Lakers
Silver Screen and Roll — What makes Lakers guard Wayne Ellington an elite shooter?
The Ringer — The NBA’s Hottest Team Is … the Detroit Pistons?