MONTA ELLIS

Monta Ellis is a walking contradiction, an oxymoron in the flesh.

His game is explosive and captivating, yet his demeanor is tranquil and reserved. His build is slight and fragile looking. Yet he's proved tough and durable.

But there is something more curious yet about Ellis, who faces his biggest challenge this coming season in replacing Baron Davis as the Warriors' starting point guard. He has natural abilities most basketball players dream about, but he also has an incredible work ethic few can relate to.

"Monta is quietly confident, and it comes from getting his work done and not talking about it," said Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin, who drafted Ellis No. 40 overall in 2005.

"He shows up in the best shape every year. You don't keep improving as he has just because. He works at it."

There are plenty of athletes who overcame a lack of talent by working harder than everyone else. But not many combine special talent with a persistent grind to get better, as does Ellis. As a result, his three-year career has already produced a spectacular ascension from high-school hopeful and second round draft pick to franchise figure. That's why he was given a six-year, $66 million contract and the reins to the Warriors franchise.

Members of the organization are showing no concern about putting so much responsibility on Ellis' 22-year-old shoulders. Instead of spending the summer swimming in his newly acquired wealth, Ellis is already preparing to meet expectations. He is doggedly working on his ball handling this offseason and has plans to improve his endurance and strength by working out with trainer Virgil Hunter, boxing coach of undefeated super middleweight Andre Ward of Oakland.

“The scary part about him is he's going to get better. When hard work and talent come together, great things happen,” said Virgil Hunter.

He has a natural feel for the game you can't teach — he knows how and when to change gears and how to anticipate the help defense.

Still, it's his work ethic that has set Ellis apart. His hard work helped him improve his strength. "When he came to us, he was 160-165 pounds soaking wet," Warriors director of athletic development Mark Grabow said. "Now he's about 185 pounds and still about 5 or 6 percent body fat. He was able to put the right kind of weight on and increase his strength."

Credit Ellis' work ethic for his ability to dribble left and nail a midrange jumper with consistency. During his second and third seasons, he worked on both daily, with the results showing last season, when he averaged 20.2 points on 53 percent shooting.

"The way Monta practices," assistant coach Keith Smart said, "Monta goes at guys like he's playing for the world championships."

Of course, his new contract and increased responsibility certainly ups the expectations. Doubts persist about his ability to be as prolific a scorer as he was playing alongside point guard Baron Davis. There are worries about his ability to defend, especially against the pick-and-roll and bigger point guards.

But Mullin doesn't blink when confronted with these concerns.

"Anytime he's faced with any type of adversity or someone questioning his ability, he uses that as a motivating factor and turns it into a positive," Mullin said. "From where he was drafted to not playing much his rookie year, he's been faced with things already and has taken them head on. He's one of those motivated, mentally tough kind of guys. I have a lot of confidence in him."