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The Love of the Game
Ellis was your typical Aussie kid from Melbourne, growing up with two older brothers and a dad who loved basketball, he quickly started playing outdoor games of pickup with the neighbourhood kids and joining the school team. All of this started at a time when NBA content wasn’t as widely televised or accessible in Australia as it is today. His passion was truly ignited when his older brother brought home a VHS tape of the 1987 NBA All-Star game. He watched Dallas Mavericks’, Rolando Blackman take two free throws after time had expired, sending the game into overtime, which ultimately lead to a Western Conference win. Ellis became captivated by the sport, reading every Basketball Digest & HOOP magazine he could get his hands on, writing letters to the NBA and to the teams and, occasionally, getting a response back; which to a kid was like Christmas coming early.
20 in 20 in 20 - The Seed Is Planted
After High School, he left Australia and went back-packing to different locations around the world. This adventurous spirit continued throughout his life visiting places like Russia, Brazil, Germany, London, Peru, Spain, Italy and Egypt. Throughout all of his travels and all the places he visited, he would always find a game of pickup basketball to jump in on, or a hoop to shoot at where inevitably people would join. For him, basketball became a way to connect with people in these locations, because even if you didn’t speak the same language, you still played the same game. You instantly became a team and created a bond that left an imprint on him.
Whether it was playing in flip-flops after a few drinks on the beach in Brazil, or in Mexico with locals who spoke no English, or with a Serbian girl in Frankfurt who he played one-on-one with; he remembers and cherishes them all.
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The Rise of Ellis’ Career in the NBA Media
Joining Basketball Jones
Toronto, Canada in 2006 is where his story truly begins. There he went and studied sports journalism, followed up by an internship at a sports media station where he then secured a job, and then after some perseverance got a position with the boys of The Basketball Jones podcast, one of the first daily NBA podcasts of its time working at The Score.
After that, the ball really got rolling. Leigh Ellis and the boys of Basketball Jones moved to Atlanta, Georgia where the TBJ podcast became The Starters TV Show on NBA TV. With some analysis and plenty of entertainment, the show had elements of the Australian Footy Show. Just some fun guys, enjoying their time hanging out and talking about the sport they love and bringing that love to other fans of the NBA.
No Dunks Podcast
When The Starters ended, Ellis and his colleagues started the No Dunks podcast, which continues to showcase their love and knowledge of basketball while also providing a platform to discuss a range of pop culture topics. Throughout his career, Ellis has established himself as a knowledgeable and entertaining voice in the basketball media landscape, and his transition from the Basketball Jones to the No Dunks podcast is a testament to his versatility and staying power.
Leigh Ellis’ Global Popularity
As his career in the world of NBA sports media grew, so did his following on both Twitter and Instagram. He found people would reach out to him on his travels, inviting him to join them and play pickup basketball if he was passing through their city. Something that was so natural for him to do in the past, became solid plans for his next location. He began to announce to his social media followers when and where he'd be playing a game of basketball and soon the responses and turnouts in these locations grew, and so did the requests for him to come and visit new places. A post he made whilst in Florence, Italy had a huge amount of traction, but ironically none of the people commenting were in Florence at the time, but in other locations around the world, wanting him to join them there.
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The Emergence of 20 in 20 in 20
It was then, an idea was born.
Could he pair his love of basketball and his love of travelling and make it into something people could both follow and also join in with? Could he create something that represented the global phenomenon that is basketball? Could he show the world not only what basketball has meant to him on his travels; a way to speak the same language, a way to meet and bring people together, but also what basketball means to people in different parts of the world? How it's expressed in their culture, what history it has and the community it creates.
20 cities, 20 countries, 20 games of pickup.
The new chapter of his life had begun. He said goodbye to the No Dunks podcast, and a team he had worked with for the past 11 years, spanning over 2,500 podcast episodes, and got to work. The first leg of his trip had him hitting Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Greece, with just him, a friend who was also a camera to get any and all content they could. This is in the hopes they could build the type of interest that a major network franchise such as Netflix might want to pick up for a series that would generate the funding he needs to be able to continue this work.
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The Journey So Far
The first leg of his 20 in 20 in 20 tour created such hype that he was able to secure the involvement of some NBA teams and other brands, such as us here at Stateside Sports who wanted to be involved and contribute in some way.
Frankfurt, Germany
The first leg was scheduled to start in Ljubljana, Slovenia, however, a flight delay gave Ellis a 12-hour stopover in Frankfurt, Germany. Determined not to sit in the airport all day, he decided to hit the streets and found a court to begin the adventure. It was there that he encountered a Serbian-born girl named Marija who challenged him to a game of one-on-one, then followed that up with trick shots and plays that impressed him greatly.
Ljublijana, Slovenia
From there it was onto the hometown of Luka Dončić, Ljubljana, Slovenia. The recently renovated courts (by Luka’s team) provided the perfect spot for the first official game of the tour. A solid turnout for a game was followed up with an exclusive interview with Luka’s father, Saša Dončić, which then turned into a raucous 5-hour dinner that ended in the early hours of the morning.
Zagre, Sibenik, Dubrovnik, Croatia
From Slovenia, it was onto Croatia for three scheduled games. One in Zagreb, then another in the hometown of Croatian legend, Dražen Petrovic, Šibenik before heading down to the coastal town of Dubrovnik. The court in Dubrovnik is set high above the city in a castle that overlooks the town and provides possibly the most beautiful setting for a game of basketball.
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Belgrade, Serbia
From Croatia, it was over to Belgrade in Serbia, where he started to meet a few new friends. Leigh had the opportunity to play basketball at one of the best outdoor courts in the world, located inside the Belgrade Fortress. The Fortress, constructed in 297 BC, is surrounded by high walls and serves as a historical landmark for the city. During the summer, the Fortress hosts several NBA-level 3-on-3 tournaments. Leigh played on the Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) courts, but there are also Partizan Belgrade courts available for play. It was a unique and unforgettable experience for Leigh to play basketball in such a historic and impressive location.
The experience in Serbia and Croatia proved that basketball is a universal language that transcends borders and cultures.
Athens, Greece
Strefi Hill in Athens, Greece was his next location after the five-city stop in the Balkans. Inspired by the Marvel universe, Leigh got to go head-to-head on a local known and well-loved court, with a baller known as Thanos who lived up to his name, driving deep on every play, throwing flawless 3-pointers and delivering an incredible display of tactic and skill.
During his Athens experience, he also met and played against a 16-year-old kid whose dream is to play in the NBA and Leigh thinks he’s got what it takes. A good shot, calm temperament under pressure, great driving and ball-handling abilities along with making the court his own arena. It still inspires Leigh every day to see the younger generation turn up with so much love and passion for a game they’re hoping to build their careers around.
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Africa, a three-part series
On the second leg of his tour, it was less about Leigh playing, but more about what he could offer to those who came to play alongside him, running basketball clinics with local kids of all ages.
Cape Town, South Africa
The next stop took the breath from his lungs with sunset views over the ocean on one side and the expansive Table Mountain on the other at a Sea Point High School court. Here he ran a youth basketball clinic which became more than just a game of pick-up but an opportunity to foster kids’ love for basketball and the talent they’re developing whilst giving out some donated NBA merchandise from the teams themselves, making the day just that much sweeter!
In Cape Town, the temperature was hot, but the shots the kids were making were even hotter! With Leigh taking a bit of a backseat in all the talented action, sticking to setting up passes that the kids delivered on every single time, with one kid earning the MVP title and getting to take home a Shaquille O’Neal jersey and trophy to remember the event by!
Zambia, South Africa
In Zambia, Leigh ran another clinic alongside the OYDC Sports and Development Centre that fosters the youth of today to inspire and reignite their love for basketball. Here he experienced some of Zambia’s beautiful sports facilities that hundreds of young athletes each year use to develop their skills and follow their dreams. But it wasn’t just about the kids in Zambia. Leigh got to have an “old-timers run” of 30-years and over, where he squared up against a 55-year-old that proved age is just a number by delivering no-look passes, an unlimited range and took shots with such confidence he was already back, halfway down the court, ready for the next play before it even landed in, because he already knew he’d got it!
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Nairobi, Kenya
In Nairobi, Leigh Ellis partnered with the incredible likes of the Giants of Africa, a non-profit organisation that works with African youth to educate, enrich and empower their players through a sport that transcends all barriers. Giants of Africa involves the likes of “Giants” Dikembe Mutombo, Barack Obama and Nike, who have partnered with them with the aim to give children from all over the world a voice and opportunity to realise and reach their potential.
At the “Rucker Park of Kenya”, kids that turned up to play were gifted donated NBA and WNBA gear from the teams themselves. Everyone got the chance to win one of three Hardwood Classic Jerseys donated by us here at Stateside Sports in a half-court shot competition. Three teens took home the Allen Iverson, Vince Carter and Mike Bibby jerseys, with the final jersey going to a teen who was shorter than Leigh himself!
Istanbul, Turkey
In Istanbul, Leigh got in a few shots on the court of the Fenerbahçe vs. Efes Euro League Derby game, where he landed 5 of his 7 three-pointers! Next, it was onto the Caddebostan “Kobe” court, which the GOAT himself opened in 2011. This court was repainted and renovated in 2020 in honour of the late Kobe and Gianna Bryant with a beautiful “Mamba Forever” #8 design on the soft, spongy court that helps to launch every shot into overdrive whilst being kind on the ol’ ankles and knees! Each of the backboards at either end have a mural design—one a dedicated #24 Kobe mural, and the other, a #2 Gianna, all in Los Angeles Lakers purple and gold!
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Kaunas, Lithuania
At the halfway point of his 20-20-20 tour, ten countries in, Ellis got to experience a nation and its courts that have produced huge names in both the NBA and the Euro League and submerged himself in the Olympiacos BC fans before the semi-finals against Monaco. Leigh now has first-hand experience of how hard these fans show their spirit, with flares, hundreds of people chanting and an atmosphere you can’t help but want to get involved in! He even got access to interview some of the players on the court pre-game and experience his first Final Four Euro League game.
Whilst there, he had the honour of meeting Jamad Finn. Captain of the Somalia Women’s National Basketball Team and founder of the Jamad Basketball Camp, an organisation for young girls that was born of a vision of ensuring all young girls had role models and others to look up to who they felt represented them. The organisation aims to empower young women to be exactly who they want to be, inspiring them to follow their dreams whilst staying true to their religion, whatever that may be and in whatever they want to wear.
Paris, France
Ellis started his France tour strong with a feature in the L'Équipe sports magazine, which boasts 2.3M followers on Instagram. He then hit the ground running with a quick 12-hour tour of the city, involving a doubleheader of basketball starting at the Playground Duperré court with its vibrant sunsetting colourways of deep blues, purples and yellow. This half-size court is a fan favourite on social media and a must-see for ballers if you’re ever in the area, and you’d never believe it used to be a carpark!
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Later in the day, he played on the Bir-Hakeim court overlooking none other than the Eiffel Tower in all its glory. Here, locals and the like came down for a game of pick-up and the chance to win a range of Hardwood Classic Swingman jerseys donated by us here at Stateside Sports! Bringing in another half-court shot competition, underdog Lucas stepped up to the line as one of the youngest people on the court! Not originally involved in the competition, but with the older guys not having much luck, Lucas didn’t even know he was getting the chance to win a Hardwood Classic, and despite this, delivered a perfect shot from mid-line on his first throw! The little guy didn’t even know who Mike Bibby was, nor was he even alive when Bibby graced the NBA courts, but he repped the jersey with pride and in a French-accented “now I know!” showed Ellis that his half-court efforts weren’t the only impressive basketball skills he had, delivering shot after shot in the following games of pick-up.
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London, England
Clapham Common in South London saw a spur-of-the-moment dunk contest when Leigh realised he was up against some guys who were too talented not to do something more than a pick-up game with. He and all the locals present, got to watch each player release their inner monster in the hopes of taking home a Scottie Pippen Hardwood Classic.
When Enel, the “sauce god”, started his play, the crowd knew they had a winner, starting with a one-hander, off the bounce dunk and following it up with an encore one-hander, windmill shot, off the bounce. Truly, a moment to be remembered—one that Vince Carter would be proud of!
But it wasn’t just the dunk contest efforts that made Leigh’s day; it was seeing long-time fan and listener Ted who had not only made it to this run but also to the Paris run the day before! He’d travelled two countries in 24 hours just to get another chance at a half-court shot competition after falling short in Paris—and boy did he deliver! With the backing of his hometown, Ted stepped up to the line and, on his first throw, secured his very own Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets Hardwood Classic Jersey! Now that’s the kind of Ted Talk we love to see!
Lisbon, Portugal
Starting off with a TV show and a podcast appearance in the stunning city of Lisbon, Leigh hit the court decorated with a Kobe and Lakers mural that was two stories high behind the net! Coming in with another half-court shot competition to win a Hardwood Classic Swingman Jersey donated by Stateside Sports, it was a competition that Ellis is not going to forget anytime soon!
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Beginning with the usual suspects lining up, everyone was giving it their all but getting nothing but air until little Alphonso stepped up, hitting rim after rim but just missing the bucket. With everyone thinking this just might not be the day for it, Leigh extended the offer to Alphonso’s mother, dressed in a long pink dress and sandals and considering she wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion, nor did she play, he offered her the chance to win the jersey if she could make a shot from the free-throw line. And you know what they say about behind every great man, there is a woman who made him! On her second attempt she got the shot in, earning Alphonso the jersey, he had so narrowly missed. But the story wasn’t over yet! Just as they were recording the presentation, camera pointed at Leigh Ellis and the free-throw winner, Alphonso picked up the ball at mid-line in one last attempt and MADE IT! Turns out skill definitely does run in the family.
Toronto, Canada
We the North? More like We the Ballers! Back in his “home” city for the 14th stop on his 20-20-20 tour where Leigh Ellis has lived for most of his adult life and where his career and this story started, Toronto, Canada.
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This game of King on the Court 1v1 was played at the Underground Court, beneath an overpass decorated with bright and creative graffiti with more prizes to be won! Word got around that he was coming home and he was excited to be featured in articles in both the Toronto Star Sports and CP24 with the official Raptors mascot gracing the courts too. 95 Raptor showed off his half-time skills with one-handed push ups and handstands, head-turning (literally, watch the video), wrestling and martial arts-esque plays with Ellis and made the younger kids day, showing off some disappearing ball magic tricks.
Toronto definitely showed up for this one, showing the world what the competitive city is made of, a keen passion for basketball and a great, fun-loving attitude with local news showing up to interview Leigh and some of the ballers, alongside honorary Canadian and fan favourite Matt “Red Rocket” Bonner who played for the Spurs and Raptors during his NBA career.
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Manila, Philippines
Country number 15 is landing Leigh at the TITAN Hoops Fair at The Courtyard in Manila. This event is the fourth of its kind, run in collaboration with TITAN, LeBron James and Nike Basketball, and Leigh Ellis will be playing in the Celebrity All-Stars game! He’ll then get to play a game of pick-up, where he’ll sport a pair of flip-flops like the locals, at the amazing Tenement Court that has been renovated with an incredible blue and red Basketball World Cup design.
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The Journey Continues
Leigh Ellis’ current journey is a motivating and inspiring one, one that shows that the timing can always be right if you’re willing to jump in head first and that when you give absolutely everything, nothing is a loss. He attributes his ability to do the 20 cities, 20 countries and 20 pickup games to his fans and followers; without them, this wouldn’t have been a reality. Hoping to have this challenge completed over the next two years, you have all the time in the world to follow the beauty, location, history and bond that basketball creates and you can keep up to date with his travel content by checking out his socials @LeighEllis on Instagram and Twitter.
