Boogie Ellis: Prospect Overview and Scouting Report

Nic Rioja breaks down Boogie Ellis' NBA potential and his combination of scoring and efficiency on such high volume. Averaged 16.5PTS and led the PAC-12 in 3PT% (42%) on more than 200 3PT attempts.

Boogie Ellis is a very intriguing prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. The one time Duke commit started his college career for the Memphis Tigers under coach Penny Hardaway. After two up and down seasons, Ellis returned home to Southern California and made his mark as a USC Trojan. Ellis earned Pac-12 First Team honors in 2023 and Second Team honors in 2024, leading the conference in 3P% as a senior and finishing third in the conference in scoring as a junior. He was named to both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award Preseason Watchlists after a stellar 2023 campaign which saw him lead the Trojans in points (17.7 ppg), and to an NCAA Tournament berth.

Expectations for the 2023-24 season were sky high for USC, but a plethora of issues plagued the team to a subpar finish. Ellis took a slight step back in his overall numbers, but was still a positive light for a team that did not have many. Most impressively, Ellis navigated many different situations throughout his career. Roster turmoil at both of his stops did not deter him; Ellis improved parts of his game in each season, and managed to retain a cool head on his shoulders.

The two biggest leaps for Boogie Ellis to make as he transitions to the next level will be his playmaking and defense. While he is a point guard’s size, his game is closer to that of a shooting guard. He will need to showcase his playmaking chops at a lower level, whether that be in Summer League or the G League, for an NBA opportunity to come. If Ellis can find a role as more of a connector, his shooting/scoring ability will make him a force on the offensive end. Ellis issues finishing at the rim are not necessarily terminal, but his playmaking and defense will have to make up for it.

Cam Payne has been a below average finisher for much of his NBA career. Initially struggling as a young player, Payne carved out his role in the NBA through shooting and playmaking, and holds his own on defense. Ellis is far more advanced in his scoring prowess than Payne, but will need to take up much the same path as him in order to be an NBA success.

Below are similar physical profiles to Ellis.

Ellis’ 2023-2024 shot cart with comparisons to NCAA averages. We have attached takeaways from the chart below. Statistics powered by Synergy Sports.

Ellis’ Analytical ranks on both offense and defense from 2023-2024 below.

Pros and Cons to Ellis’ game as well as individual outlook and final prospect assessment below.