Washington State University Athletics
Cougs’ CJ Elleby Drafted by Trailblazers in the 2020 NBA Draft
November 18, 2020 | Men's Basketball
The sophomore is the first Cougar drafted since Klay Thompson went No. 11 in 2011.
PULLMAN, Wash. – With the 46th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers selected Washington State men's basketball standout CJ Elleby. Elleby becomes the first under-classman in Cougar basketball history to be selected in the NBA Draft and the first WSU player selected in the draft since all-time great Klay Thompson was picked No. 11 overall in 2011.
The Cougars' star forward finished his sophomore season with a First Team All-Pac-12 award and a NABC District 19 Second Team All-Region honor after finishing the regular season fourth in the conference in scoring at 18.0 ppg. He led the Cougs to their first win in the Pac-12 Tournament in 11 seasons with a 30-point performance against Colorado in the final game of the 2019-20 college basketball season. He became the third-fastest player in program history to score 1,000 career points, ending his sophomore season with 1,060 career points scored. As a sophomore, Elleby scored 589 points, the eighth most in program history. Overall, the second-year Coug led the team in scoring, rebounding (7.8 rpg), steals (1.7 spg) and blocks (0.8 bpg) becoming the only player in program history to lead the team in all four categories in a single season.
Overall, Elleby ended his two-year career at WSU 32nd all-time in scoring while averaging 16.6 ppg, the fifth-best scoring average in Coug history. From behind the arc, Elleby finished his career 18th overall with 127 made three-pointers while hitting at a 41.4% clip, the fifth-best shooting percentage in program history. While finishing outside of the top-20 for overall rebounds, the 6-6 wing grabbed 7.5 rebounds per contest, a mark which placed him 12th on the Cougs' rebounding list. Defensively, Elleby ended his second year just inside the top-20 for career steals, grabbing 89 in just 64 games to average 1.4 per contest, a mark which put him 13th on the Cougs' all-time steal average list.
The Cougars' star forward finished his sophomore season with a First Team All-Pac-12 award and a NABC District 19 Second Team All-Region honor after finishing the regular season fourth in the conference in scoring at 18.0 ppg. He led the Cougs to their first win in the Pac-12 Tournament in 11 seasons with a 30-point performance against Colorado in the final game of the 2019-20 college basketball season. He became the third-fastest player in program history to score 1,000 career points, ending his sophomore season with 1,060 career points scored. As a sophomore, Elleby scored 589 points, the eighth most in program history. Overall, the second-year Coug led the team in scoring, rebounding (7.8 rpg), steals (1.7 spg) and blocks (0.8 bpg) becoming the only player in program history to lead the team in all four categories in a single season.
Overall, Elleby ended his two-year career at WSU 32nd all-time in scoring while averaging 16.6 ppg, the fifth-best scoring average in Coug history. From behind the arc, Elleby finished his career 18th overall with 127 made three-pointers while hitting at a 41.4% clip, the fifth-best shooting percentage in program history. While finishing outside of the top-20 for overall rebounds, the 6-6 wing grabbed 7.5 rebounds per contest, a mark which placed him 12th on the Cougs' rebounding list. Defensively, Elleby ended his second year just inside the top-20 for career steals, grabbing 89 in just 64 games to average 1.4 per contest, a mark which put him 13th on the Cougs' all-time steal average list.
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