Henry Ellenson Bio
Henry John Ellenson, born on January 13, 1997, in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Wonju DB Promy of the Korean Basketball League (KBL). Standing 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, he is listed as a power forward and center, and has built a versatile career that has carried him across the NBA, the NBA G League, Spain’s top flight, and now East Asia. After a single standout season at Marquette, he entered the 2016 NBA Draft, where the Detroit Pistons selected him with the 18th overall pick.
Across nearly a decade as a professional, Ellenson has suited up for franchises in the United States, Spain, and South Korea, and has earned recognition as a McDonald’s All-American, a Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, and an All-NBA G League performer.
Early Life and Background
Henry John Ellenson was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and grew up in a household shaped by basketball and athletics. He is the son of John Ellenson and Holly Ellenson, and he has two brothers and one sister. His father, John, played two seasons of basketball at Marquette between 1986 and 1988 before spending two seasons at Wisconsin, establishing a clear family connection to the programs Henry would later represent.
Ellenson developed his game at Rice Lake High School, where he also competed in track and field, taking part in the high jump and the discus. That athletic foundation helped him grow into a 6-foot-10 forward-center with the kind of coordination uncommon for a player his size.
Path to Basketball
As a freshman at Rice Lake High School in 2011-12, Ellenson averaged 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game, showing early signs of the all-around production that would define his career. By his sophomore year, 2012-13, he had taken a major leap, posting 21.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game and establishing himself as one of the top high school prospects in the country.
In August 2014, Ellenson represented the United States at the FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Dubai, where he scored 21 points in the quarterfinal against China. He closed his high school career as a McDonald’s All-American, a first-team Parade All-American, and a co-recipient of the Wisconsin Mr. Basketball award in 2015, before committing to Marquette, where his father had once played.
Henry Ellenson Career
Early Career (2015-2016)
During his lone season at Marquette in 2015-16, Ellenson averaged a near-double-double of 17 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, adding 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks in 33.5 minutes across 33 appearances. His production earned him All-Big East First Team, Big East All-Freshman Team, and Big East Freshman of the Year honors, cementing his status as a first-round talent.
On April 5, 2016, Ellenson declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility, and on June 23, 2016, the Detroit Pistons selected him with the 18th overall pick. He signed his rookie-scale contract on July 19, 2016, and made his professional debut on October 26, 2016, in a 109-91 loss to the Toronto Raptors, recording two rebounds in two minutes off the bench.
Detroit Pistons Era (2016-2019)
Ellenson spent his first three NBA seasons with the Detroit Pistons, splitting time between the parent club and the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ G League affiliate. He appeared in games at both levels as a stretch big who could step out beyond the arc and crash the offensive glass. On February 9, 2019, Detroit released him, opening the door to the next phase of his career.
New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets (2019-2020)
On February 20, 2019, Ellenson signed a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks, and after several productive outings he converted to a standard contract on March 2, 2019. He later joined the Knicks for the 2019 NBA Summer League before signing a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets on July 17, 2019. Across his time in New York, he showed the kind of energy and shot-making that had made him a first-round pick. On January 3, 2020, the Nets waived him after five appearances.
Raptors 905 and Toronto Raptors (2020-2021)
On January 21, 2020, Ellenson was acquired by Raptors 905 in a sign-and-trade deal with the Long Island Nets, beginning a productive stretch in the G League. On November 26, 2020, he signed with the Toronto Raptors but was waived on December 19, 2020. He returned to Raptors 905 on January 27, 2021, and on March 10, 2021, the Toronto Raptors signed him to a 10-day contract, completing a journey back to the NBA parent club.
His 2020-21 G League campaign with Raptors 905 was the high point of his developmental years, and he was named to the All-NBA G League Second Team in 2021.
Monbus Obradoiro and Joventut Badalona (2021-2023)
On July 13, 2021, Ellenson signed with Monbus Obradoiro of the Spanish Liga ACB, taking his game to one of Europe’s top leagues. A year later, on July 7, 2022, he moved to Joventut Badalona, also of the Liga ACB, where he continued to log minutes as a skilled, face-up big.
On July 4, 2023, he signed with the Ibaraki Robots of Japan’s B.League, but was placed on the injured list on September 19, 2023, and on January 9, 2024, his contract was terminated before he appeared in a game for the club.
Wonju DB Promy Era (2025-Present)
On October 15, 2024, Ellenson signed with the Milwaukee Bucks but was waived two days later, and on October 28, 2024, he joined the Wisconsin Herd for the 2024-25 G League season. In 2025, he signed with the Wonju DB Promy of the Korean Basketball League, beginning the latest chapter of his international career and joining a KBL side that has continued to feature American imports.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Ellenson’s signature achievements are his 2015 McDonald’s All-American selection, his co-Wisconsin Mr. Basketball honor in the same year, and his All-NBA G League Second Team nod in 2021. His 21-point quarterfinal outing for Team USA at the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Dubai remains one of the defining moments of his early national-team career.
Henry Ellenson Career Wins
Henry John Ellenson has yet to register an NBA All-Star selection or major league championship, but his trophy case reflects a player who has consistently excelled at the developmental and youth levels. His All-NBA G League Second Team honor in 2021, paired with his McDonald’s All-American and first-team Parade All-American selections in 2015, point to a career that has produced regular-season and All-Star-style recognition even without a top-tier individual title.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his marquee awards, Ellenson earned first-team All-Big East and Big East Rookie of the Year in 2016 after a single dominant season at Marquette, and he delivered standout scoring performances for the United States at the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Dubai. He has also recorded productive stretches in the NBA G League with the Grand Rapids Drive, the Long Island Nets, the Raptors 905, and the Wisconsin Herd, as well as impactful seasons in Spain’s Liga ACB with Monbus Obradoiro and Joventut Badalona.
Henry Ellenson Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Henry John Ellenson is the son of John Ellenson and Holly Ellenson, and he grew up alongside two brothers and one sister. The family has clear ties to college basketball: his father, John, played two seasons at Marquette from 1986 to 1988 before spending two seasons at Wisconsin, and his brother, Wally, competed on the men’s basketball and track and field teams at Marquette, giving the family a multi-generational presence in the sport.
Personal Life
Ellenson was raised in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and he has stayed connected to his hometown through the early chapters of his professional career. He remains close with his parents, John and Holly, as well as his brothers and sister, and his family’s basketball background has shaped the development that took him from a Wisconsin high school standout to a professional playing across multiple continents.
2025 Season Performance
Henry John Ellenson enters the 2025 campaign with the Wonju DB Promy of the Korean Basketball League, continuing a global journey that has carried him through the NBA, the G League, and Spain’s Liga ACB. After spending the 2024-25 season with the Wisconsin Herd, he arrived in Wonju with a chance to anchor a KBL frontcourt and serve as a featured scorer and rebounder for his new club.
His role in 2025 builds on the strong 2020-21 stretch that earned him All-NBA G League Second Team honors and the late-2010s NBA experience he gathered with the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Toronto Raptors. That mix of NBA minutes and G League production makes him a seasoned international addition for the Promy.
Heading into the season, Ellenson will look to translate his size, perimeter skill, and physical play to the KBL game, while helping Wonju push for a strong league finish. With established experience in multiple professional systems, the 2025 season represents an opportunity to add another chapter to a career that has already spanned nearly a decade across three continents.