Kings Guard Reacts to NBA2K Top-10 Ranking

But it's not just his on-ball defense that makes him such a great defender, but his ability to play in the passing lanes with elite hands and timing to get deflections. He has a unique skill to bait opponents into passes where he's able to get in the passing lanes, and is also adept at stripping the ball as a help defender in the paint.

Ellis finished last season with a career high 1.5 steals per game in just 24.4 minutes per game, good for 11th in the league. The only players to finish with more steals in fewer minutes were Kris Dunn and Ausar Thompson, who also both made the top ten list. He also finished with 3.6 deflections per contest, tied for seventh most in the NBA.

All of this is mostly just for fun, but it is a good reminder that Ellis is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and to add on, a tremendous three-point shooter. On top of his defensive skills, Ellis has a career 42.9% three-point percentage.

Kings fans have been saying this for years, as Ellis has been a fan favorite in Sacramento since his rookie season, but the rest of the league has slowly caught on to how valuable a player Ellis is.

That is a big deal, with Ellis set to be an unrestricted free agent after the Kings picked up his $2.3 million team option for this year. They can still extend Ellis this season, but they now risk losing him next offseason if another team offers more money than the Kings are willing or able to.

All indications are that the Kings plan to extend the 25-year-old guard, as Scott Perry has said throughout the offseason. But it's hard to know if Ellis would prefer to test free agency after the Kings made him one of the most underpaid players in the league next season.

Money has shrunk in the NBA this offseason, but if there are two things every team needs more of, it's three-point shooting and defense. And those special players who excel in both are highly coveted around the league.

But regardless of the contract situation, it's fun to see Ellis get the recognition he deserves, even if it is just for a video game.