Q&A: Wally Ellenson on Preparing for Gophers Arrival

[GopherHole Staff]

Wally Ellenson on Preparing for Gophers Arrival
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/149243?referrer_id=331171

Wally Ellenson, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound senior wing from Rice Lake (Wis.) High who signed with Minnesota last fall, is one of the Midwest’s top athletes. Ellenson competed American Family Insurance Slam Dunk Contest during the Final Four in New Orleans and recently talked to Gopher Hole about the experience, his senior season and expectations as a freshman with the Golden Gophers.

Ellenson helped lead the Warriors to a 23-2 mark as a senior, losing to eventual Division II champion Onalaska 57-47. He averaged 21.3 points per game.

Ellenson is off to an excellent start in track and field this spring. He was first in the long jump, triple jump and high jump in the recent Rice Lake Invite. Ellenson won the Wisconsin Division II state title last June with a jump of 6-foot-6. His career high is 6-foot-11. He plans to high jump in college with a long-term goal to represent the United State in the Olympics.

GH: What was the experience like being down at the Final Four?

Wally Ellenson: It was a great experience. Just being on national TV for the first time. It was just a lot of fun.

GH: Did you prepare a lot ahead of time and practice certain things? Or did you come up with it at the moment?

Wally Ellenson: I definitely had some dunks prepared and I kind of changed it up depending on the other people’s dunks.

GH: You went up against J. P Tokoto, who won the event. You have played with him AAU-wise and against him. Did you know the other competitors?

Wally Ellenson: Not really, but I got to know Isaiah a lot better and I roomed with J.P,, so we got to talk and meet up again.

GH: When are you planning on coming to Minnesota to start school?

Wally Ellenson: June 9th is when I start working out and going to classes.
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GH: Are you going to be playing in the Howard Pulley Summer League?

Wally Ellenson: Yes. I’ll be in that.

GH: Do you know who you are going to be rooming with yet?

Wally Ellenson: I’m not too sure yet, but I am thinking I’ll be rooming with the new guy Charles Buggs. He is also in my class.

GH: Have you ever meet him?

Wally Ellenson: I talked to him a little bit when I was on my official visit. He was there. That was the only time I saw him. I didn’t really get to know him too well.

GH: How about the Gophers’ season at the end of the year they started to play better and made it to the championship game of the N.I.T. Did you get a chance to watch any of those games?

Wally Ellenson: Yes. I got to watch all of them. They did a really great job, just really developing throughout the season and they played really well at the end and gave Stanford a run.

GH: I know that they had some struggles this season with all the injuries. Did that get you a little more excited to see how well they could play?

Wally Ellenson: Yes, definitely. I know that they are a very good team and I am excited to play with them.

GH: Have you talked to the coaches much about your role for next year?

Wally Ellenson: Not too much yet, but I know when we are on campus, we are going to start going into all that. .

GH: Now that your high school season is over, what things have you been trying to work on to continue to improve yourself as a player?

Wally Ellenson: Definitely, my outside game. Getting shots up. I know that I need to be a shooter at the next level and just making my shot consistent.

GH: Have they talked much about playing shooting guard or small forward?

Wally Ellenson: I’ll be like a 2 guard. I’ll be a shooter.

GH: How excited are you to become a Gopher?

Wally Ellenson: I’m very excited. I am just really looking forward to it.

 

[JohnnyL]

Thanks for the interview Chris. It's encouraging to know that he's working on his outside shooting.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

Thanks for the interview Chris. It's encouraging to know that he's working on his outside shooting.

Not sure what to expect from him next year if anything but growing into a D1 player. Going to be a lot of compititon at SG, he is clearly one hell of an athlete, if he can hit the three he will play, if not, good luck.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Would expect Ellenson and Buggs to get very little time next season, certainly not during the Big Ten season. If the Gophers need extended minutes from either, that's probably not a good sign.

Knock on wood, red-shirting either or both certainly seems like a reasonable option with what the Gophers have coming back.

 

[dpodoll68]

Knock on wood, red-shirting either or both certainly seems like a reasonable option with what the Gophers have coming back.

It seems like a good idea now, but will seem like a terrible idea when we have no scholarships available in 2016. The solution is to play a year or two short-handed in 2014 and 2015, and I don't think Tubby (or many other college coaches, for that matter) is interested in doing so.

 

[Johnnyboy18]

Would expect Ellenson and Buggs to get very little time next season, certainly not during the Big Ten season. If the Gophers need extended minutes from either, that's probably not a good sign.

Knock on wood, red-shirting either or both certainly seems like a reasonable option with what the Gophers have coming back.

If he can shoot I hope Tubby plays him instead of Welch

 

[Minnesconsin fan]

It seems like a good idea now, but will seem like a terrible idea when we have no scholarships available in 2016. The solution is to play a year or two short-handed in 2014 and 2015, and I don't think Tubby (or many other college coaches, for that matter) is interested in doing so.

I am in this camp-- if they can't contribute do we really want them burning up a scholarship for 5 years instead of 4? On the other hand we could always go to the houseCreaning or Buzzcut method of opening up scholarships for the next player.

 

[scher215]

If he can shoot I hope Tubby plays him instead of Welch

Depends how well he can shoot. Welch shot about 45% from 3 last year. If Wally can match that and handle the ball, play him over Welch.

But if the shooting gap is wider than the athleticism gap, you've gotta play Welch much like you had to play Hoff even though other guys were more athletic.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Welch was a solid player in his 1st year in a Gopher uniform. Some tough moments (especially at the FT line), but he hit some big shots for us & barring injury I can't envision any scenario where Ellenson is taking Welch's minutes.

 

[Blackhammer]

Welch is one of our better shooters. He will and should get plenty of minutes. He is not a very good ballhandler however. Something this team lacks. I doubt if Wally will help in that department at first anyway. I do get the feeling with hard work Wally may have some good upside. That said, a two guard who is working on devolping a more consistent shot is more of the same for the Gophers.Let's hope Wally does become a good shooter.

 

[WolfontheProwl]

If this kid would have said "I dont have much to work on at this point I can do it all" we would be all over him. He his a high school kid and they all have things they need to work on and get better at. I would be shocked if Ellenson gets any of Welch's minutes but if he does we are in pretty good shape because Welch had a pretty solid year for the Gophers last season. If Ellenson can get some of his minutes its because he is more prepared to play than most of us expect him to be. Would be nice to have a guy who can shoot and can finish around the rim. It seems this program as of late has had either a shooter or finisher but never a combo of each.