Lakers’ Wayne Ellington channeling grief from father’s death into productive season

Posted Mar 21, 2015
The Lakers guard stared at his shoes as he put them on his feet. Wayne Ellington once wrote “WRE” on his shoes. Those were the initials of his dad, who shared his love for sports, his friendly personality, and his name. But after Wayne Robert Ellington Sr. was murdered on Nov. 9, 2014 at the age of 57 in downtown Philadelphia, his son’s pre-game ritual has taken on a new twist. (Long Beach Press-Telegram)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: TarHeel247 Podcast - How Angelo Brizzi Can Carve Out A Role In UNC's Backcourt
Andrew Jones and Jacob Turner from TarHeel247 discuss UNC transfer guard Angelo Brizzi, his role in this season's Tar Heel backcourt, offensive strengths, recent performances...
Mon Aug 24, 2026

UNC Basketball Roundup: Frontcourt Cleared, Non-Conf. Slate Set, UNC & Duke Battle For Top Recruit
It was a busy week for the UNC Basketball program. The roster questions that have hung over the Tar Heels this offseason finally got answers,...
Mon Aug 24, 2026

Michael Malone Embraces Significance of UNC vs. NC State Basketball Rivalry
Upon taking the basketball coaching job at North Carolina, Michael Malone researched the history between the Tar Heels and Wolfpack. He wanted a better understanding...
Mon Aug 24, 2026

Michael Malone's Priorities When Assembling His UNC Basketball Coaching Staff
New UNC men's basketball coach Michael Malone describe a hiring process of his coaching staff that was conducted "with intent and purpose," that aimed to...
Sun Aug 23, 2026