The Sacramento Kings’ offense made NBA history in 2023-24reaching one of the highest point totals in a regular-season game. However, the Kings’ go-to guy for defending opposing teams’ shifty guards, Kings point guard Keon Ellis, is often tasked with defending some of the toughest assignments in the NBA. When you take on that role, things don’t always go your way every night, which was certainly the case when the Kings hosted the New York Knicks, and All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson topped Ellis’ scouting report.

Brunson caught Ellis on a fake pass before driving past a stunned Keon, who said he was doing an outstanding job defending Jalen before the Knicks guard with the quickest handles got to him once on a play that went viral.

He spoke about it during his appearance on the “Big Knick Energy” podcast.

“I’m not angry about that, [but] “The whole Jalen Brunson thing: People don’t realize I was on his ass. I was on his ass until that play,” Ellis said. “That’s the one everyone remembers. I think I blocked him twice. I got his number right away, and then this happened, and I was like, man, this is crazy.”

After the play, Ellis admitted he was furious and thought the worst of himself.

“I suck, I suck. I suck. I suck,” Ellis said, recalling how he felt at that moment before remembering how quickly it all happened. “I’m like, OK, if he calls the screen, I’m going to force him to go to the screen. That way we can make the switch. I’m just looking around to make sure when the screen comes in, I’m sending it that way.”

“He pointed at me, and I looked and I couldn’t see anything, and I was like, ‘Oh, shit,’ yeah, that was crazy. Yeah, I was mad. I was really just more mad at [it] because I was really right on him, and then he got that one.

Keon Ellis was still thinking about Jalen Brunson’s trade after the game

Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) reacts to a non-call during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center.
Images by Ed Szczepanski-Imagn

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In today’s world, being the victim of a bad NBA play that goes viral can last much longer than a 24-hour news cycle. Keon Ellis admits that even though he and the Kings had gotten into the habit of lifting weights after a game, he still couldn’t get Brunson’s fake out of his head.

“That night, though, because we usually practice after games, too. And I’m just sitting there, like, what the hell did I do? Everybody has a moment where they wish they could come back. So, I’m not really tripping,” Ellis added. “Yeah, he’s Jalen Brunson at the end of the day, too.”

Sacramento DeMar DeRozan signing caps busy offseason for Kingswho will open their preseason schedule against the Golden State Warriors on October 9.

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