Exclusive: Monta Ellis reveals why his time with the Mavericks was so special

Monta Ellis quickly became a fan favorite for the Dallas Mavericks after joining the team in 2013, and Mavs fans still cherish the two seasons he spent in Dallas. His clutch shotmaking, three-level scoring, and speed were all highlights of his silky-smooth game, and he was a fun addition to the Mavs during the back half of Dirk Nowitzki's career.

Now, Ellis is the general manager of the Alcorn State men's basketball team in Lorman, Mississippi. Ellis recently had a conversation with The Smoking Cuban about his new role at Alcorn State, and he also touched on his time in Dallas.

He touched on playing with Dirk, how the Mavericks compared to the other teams he played for, and his thoughts on Cooper Flagg, giving Mavs fans an insightful look into the former star's time with the team.

The Mavericks lit a fire under Monta Ellis

Ellis played for the Mavericks from 2013 until 2015, averaging 19.0 points and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the field. He was a top-two scorer alongside Nowitzki in both of these seasons, and his time spent with Dallas helped ignite a passion inside of him that had started to fade.

"When I came to Dallas after leaving Milwaukee, after getting traded from Golden State, a little basketball left me," Ellis told The Smoking Cuban. "So when I came here to Dallas, I kind of got that fire back for those two years I played here with Dirk. And that's why I say I learned a lot. He taught me a lot. So much on and off the court."

Ellis learned a lot from Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki came up multiple times during Ellis' interview with The Smoking Cuban, saying that the 14-time All-Star helped him on and off the court. Dirk and Monta may have only spent two seasons together, but Nowitzki clearly left a positive impact on Ellis during his time in Dallas.

"Dirk was a great teammate," Ellis said. "He was a great leader. I learned so much from the little time that I was here from him as far as being a professional, how to approach the game, how to have a winning mentality."

While Ellis didn't dive into any of the stories or specific moments that he shared with Nowitzki, he didn't hold back when it came to the effect he had on him. Monta said that he and Dirk still stay in touch, and Ellis clearly values the leadership that Nowitzki provided him with.

"I can tell you that those conversations and things would help me on and off the basketball court," Ellis said. "And I respect him for that because he didn't have to do it. But we had some great talks and some great moments. I enjoyed every bit of it. It was wonderful."

Nowitzki's path to greatness was remarkable in Dallas, and the fact that he only played for one franchise during his entire 21-year NBA career was honorable. He loved the Mavericks with everything in him during his time with the team, and now Dallas has a new superstar at the helm: Cooper Flagg.

Ellis has liked what he's seen from Cooper Flagg so far

Flagg won Rookie of the Year last season, quickly establishing himself as a franchise cornerstone in Big D. His defense, finishing, and nonstop energy made him a monster as a rookie, and he's on pace to follow in Nowitzki's footsteps and become one of the leaders of the team.

"I just like his approach to the game," Ellis said. "He has a free-flow game. It's very, very smooth. He has very good upside. So all that plays a part, an advantage for him, especially with his skill set of dribbling the ball, and shooting the ball, and making the right decision. He's a great player. He's got a lot of improvement, but that comes along with it. I think he's in the right situation. I think he's in the right city that'll pull that out of him like it did for Dirk."

Dallas was Ellis' second-favorite NBA team to play for

Situation is everything in the NBA, and as Mavs fans know, Dallas was a great situation for Ellis. He was Dirk's co-star for the two seasons he spent on the Mavericks, and he said that playing for Dallas was the second-favorite stop of his career, behind his time with the Golden State Warriors.

"It'd be number two (playing for the Mavs) because me being drafted by the Warriors in 2005 and playing six and a half, seven years there with them," Ellis said. "I went there a young boy and came out a young man...This is a great organization, great fan base, but my number one has to be Golden State because I was drafted a young kid out of high school. They let me grow. Everything that I went through, they were able to support me and go through it with me."

Ellis had great moments with every team that he played for during his 12-year NBA career, and now it's time for him to stack up more good moments with the Alcorn State Braves.

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