Last Wednesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers saw three new faces make their home debuts at Rocket Arena. Seeing James Harden, Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis take the floor in front of a raucous, energetic crowd was a highly anticipated night. It was no surprise to Ellis, who had heard that day from a former Cleveland champion that he had been drafted into the organization. This wasn’t just someone loyal to the Cavs; It was fan favorite Matthew Dellavedova.
“Matthew, he was my guy when I was in Sacramento,” Ellis said after Wednesday’s blowout 138-113 win over the Washington Wizards. “He messaged me when I got traded. He said, ‘Yeah, you’ll love it. It’s definitely a sports town.’ So yeah, there was definitely good energy there tonight.”
Dellavedova, known as “Daly” in Northeast Ohio, played twice in Cleveland. Fans in the city were attracted to the scrappy, tough style of play the Australian point guard brought every night. His most memorable years came in his first stint with the team from 2013–16, the final season of which saw the Cavs defeat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals after falling 3–1.
Earning a substantial payday in free agency, Dellavedova played for the Milwaukee Bucks for the next two and a half seasons. In need of experienced leadership, the struggling Cavs returned for him in December 2018. He stayed until 2021 before moving back home to play for Melbourne United in the NBL.
After one season there, Dellavedova last tried his hand in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, where he faced rookie Ellis in the 2022-23 campaign.
Similar to Dellavedova, Ellis is an undrafted player who had to work hard in the league. He attended two years of junior college at Florida Southwestern, then spent his upper class years at Alabama. Although he thrived as a senior, NBA teams did not select him in 2022. The Kings gave him a chance with a two-way contract as a rookie, and in his second season as a professional he was traded to a standard deal in February 2024.
“I literally tried every way to not get it,” Ellis told ClutchPoints in his postgame presser. “So yeah, it’s crazy that I got here. That’s the only word I can really think of, so definitely blessed.”
“I just want to win. Like, everything else doesn’t really matter to me. As long as we win, that’s all that matters. When I was in college, our coach Nate Oats used to say, ‘When the tide rises, all boats rise.’ So I think that message is still stuck. When the team wins, everyone wins. So, I just go out there and try to play winning games. “I would say that’s what motivates me.”
Cleveland fans should immediately connect with Ellis’ game due to his defensive efforts and consistent pressure. It’s not too far from what the city’s most beloved Australian wine-and-golder brought to the table all those years ago.
Despite being on opposite sides of the world, the two have maintained their relationship since their days in Sacramento. Dellavedova is still going strong with the Sydney Kings, while Ellis is starting the second chapter of his career at the place where his friend became a folk hero.
It’s funny how small the basketball world can be, isn’t it?
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