The man who murdered Wayne Ellington’s father was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison this past February, a verdict that Ellington said brought some closure to a horrific family ordeal.
In a piece penned for The Player’s Tribune, the Nets guard further remembered his father’s impact on his life, how the two shared in watching Kobe Bryant, and the moment he learned of his father’s passing, from his then-fiancee’ shortly after a win when he was with the Lakers:
When I approached her outside the locker room, she was shaking.
“Somebody got shot.”
There were tears streaming down her face.
“Who? Who got shot? Who?”
She looked at me, barely able to get the words out.
“It’s your dad.”
I immediately felt sick.
“What do you mean? Where did he get shot?”
“His head.”
When she said that, I already knew what had happened.
Ellington also talked about how he coped with the loss, and how he hopes to help kids through The Peace Games, which currently happen in Chicago and he wants to bring to Philadelphia.
Ellington, who has become an advocate for gun violence prevention, is also a finalist for the J. Walter Kennedy Award, given to a player, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community.
Read the whole piece below.
The Player’s Tribune — Pops
