How Keon Ellis’ text with the Cleveland champs ignited a new fire

last wednesday, Cleveland Cavaliers saw three new faces make their home debuts at Rocket Arena. It was a highly anticipated night to watch James Harden, Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis fell to the floor in front of a noisy, tense crowd. That came as no surprise to Ellis, who heard from the former Cleveland champion the day he was traded to the organization. The Cavs faithful are not just anyone; it was fan favorite Matthew Dellavedova.

“Matthew, he was my teammate when I was in Sacramento,” Ellis said after Wednesday’s 138-113 win over the Washington Wizards. “He texted me when I got traded. He said, ‘Yeah, you’re going to love it. Definitely a sports town.’ So yeah, it was definitely a good energy tonight, for sure.”

Dellavedova, known as “Delly” around Northeast Ohio, played twice in Cleveland. Fans in the city had an affinity for the wacky, gritty style the Australian point guard brought every night. His most memorable years came in his first stint with the team from 2013-16, the final season of which saw the Cavs beat the Golden State Warriors after trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals.

Earning a well-deserved salary in free agency, Dellavedova played for the Milwaukee Bucks for the next two and a half seasons. In need of veteran leadership, the struggling Cavs brought him back in December 2018. He stayed until 2021 before returning home to play for Melbourne United in the NBL.

After one season there, Dellavedova got his final NBA tryout with the Sacramento Kings, where he faced rookie Ellis in the 2022-23 campaign.

Similar to Dellavedova, Ellis is an undrafted player had to get into the league the hard way. He played two years of junior college at Florida Southwestern and then spent senior years at Alabama. Although he excelled as a senior, NBA teams did not select him in 2022. The Kings gave him a chance on a two-way contract as a rookie, and he was converted to a standard contract in February 2024 in his second season as a pro.

“I was literally going every which way not to make it,” Ellis told ClutchPoints in his postgame presser. “Yeah, I’m crazy to have ended up here. That’s the only word I could really think of, so definitely blessed.”

“I just want to win. Like, everything else doesn’t matter to me. As long as we win, that’s all that matters. When I was in college, our coach, Nate Oats, used to say, ‘When the tide rises, all boats rise.’ So I think that message just stuck. When the team wins, everyone wins. So, I’m just trying to go out there and make winning plays. I would say that’s what drives me.”

Cleveland fans should quickly become attached to Ellis’ game for his defensive efforts and consistent pressure. It’s not far from what Australia’s favorite wine and gold brought to the table all those years ago.

Despite being on opposite sides of the world, the two continue to maintain their bond from their Sacramento days. Dellavedova continues to thrive with the Sydney Kings, while Ellis begins the second chapter of his career in the place where his friend became a folk hero.

It’s funny how small the world of basketball can be, isn’t it?