Wayne Ellington needs no introduction. In his second season, the North Carolina shooting guard has emerged as one of the best players in the country and will almost certainly suit up for an NBA team in the future.
And while Ellington has started to become a household name, tonight will mark his return to the very stage on which he introduced himself to the nation: the Palestra.
As a senior at Episcopal Academy Ellington gained national attention when ESPN2 televised his game at Penn's historic arena against Neumann-Goretti, a rival Philadelphia high school. His future coach, Roy Williams, watched from the stands.
Down 64-63 with nine seconds to go in the game, Ellington dribbled all the way down the court, past two Neumann defenders, and drained a 17-foot floater to give Episcopal the win. After the thrilling victory, he declared that the game was "one of the best experiences of my life."
Though Ellington remains a Philadelphia high school basketball icon, it is his older sister, Lexi, who has remained in the city of brotherly love. A senior at Penn, Lexi has been highly anticipating her brother's return.
"The game comes at such a unique point in both of our lives," she said. "I'm way more than excited to watch Wayne play Penn at the Palestra. I'm grateful."
Ellington's immediate family has relocated to North Carolina, but he said that if he didn't sign with the Tar Heels, Villanova was his second choice.
"It means a lot [to come back to Philadelphia]," he said. "I think I'll have a lot of fun; I have a lot of family and friends there. [Playing in front of my sister] should be exciting."
According to Lexi, their older sister, Ericka, advises Wayne more than anybody besides their mom. But even so, Lexi has offered her younger brother plenty of words of encouragement throughout his burgeoning basketball career.
"The most important advice I think I've given Wayne is to know that there's nothing he can't accomplish if he as enough faith; that there is no limit to what he can do or who he can become," she said. "I know Wayne, and I believe he believes that about himself."
Ellington seems to have taken his sister's advice to heart. In his two seasons at UNC, he has pushed the limits time and time again.
After starting as a freshman - an impressive feat on a team of UNC's caliber - he has become a greater scoring threat this season. So far, he is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc and is averaging 18 points per game, up from his average 11.7 points per game last season.
When the Quakers played at the Dean Dome last year, Ellington knocked down four threes in eight attempts, and finished up with 17 points on the night.
Now, he's returning to his stomping grounds. But this time, he's playing in enemy territory - in front of his sister and all of her friends.
"She better be cheering for me," he said.
