Dale Ellis

One of the NBA's first true three-point specialists — his 38-point game from the arc in a single game was unprecedented.

Dale Ellis was born in Marietta, Georgia in 1960. Dallas Mavericks selected him ninth overall in the 1983 NBA Draft. His 17-season career produced 15.7 points per game and one All-Star appearance. He won the Most Improved Player award in 1987 and the Three-Point Contest in 1989. He was one of the NBA's first pure three-point specialists — consistently launching from range at a time when most players considered the three a desperation measure. He scored 9 three-pointers in a single game in 1990 — a record at the time. He shot 40.0% from three across his career when that was considered extraordinary. He played a then-record 69 minutes in a five-overtime game against Milwaukee in 1989 — a record that stood for years. His longevity — 17 seasons producing consistent double-figure scoring — reflects exceptional professionalism and physical maintenance. He helped normalise the three-point shot as a primary offensive tool, contributing to the transformation of the game that Stephen Curry and others would complete decades later. He represents a generation of pioneers whose statistical contributions helped create the modern game.

Pure shooter with exceptional three-point range

One of the NBA's premier three-point shooters of the late 1980s

• All-Star 1x
• Most Improved Player (1987)
• Three-Point Contest Champion (1989)