Leigh Ellis

When you’re bored at work, do you ever catch your mind drifting away somewhere? Away to a far away place, a point in the future, a dream, or to some type of new endeavor you want to pursue?

Today’s guest knows the feeling. Leigh Ellis, once one of the top content creators in all of NBA media, seemingly had it all: top performing NBA podcasts, worldwide recognition, big paychecks, and a number of unforgettable one-of-a-kind experiences every basketball fan dreams of having.

And then he walked away.

On today’s episode, Ariel Helwani talks to Leigh Ellis about his childhood in Australia, becoming an NBA fan and then media member, and how he’s now combining his two loves of travel and basketball into something much bigger than himself. The guys discuss:

• How, as a young boy in Australia, Ellis fell in love with the NBA (4:39)
• The 2011 NBA lockout and how it led to Ellis’ first big break in NBA media (13:10)
• The time he shot around with Stephen Curry for an hour (21:02)
• Why he made the tough decision to leave The Athletic to go do something that’s never been done before (28:04)
• If he has any interest in joining NBA media again (55:41)

Plus, Ellis shares stories from his time so far on the road, which includes hanging out with former NBA players and getting drunk with Luka Doncic’s dad!

Leigh Ellis is an Australian basketball personality. Formerly the co-host of basketball podcasts “The Basketball Jones,” NBA TV’s “The Starters,” and The Athletic’s “No Dunks,” Ellis now finds himself on a mission to play 20 games of pick-up basketball in 20 different countries. You can follow along with Ellis’ basketball journey by subscribing to his YouTube channel or Instagram page.

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