The narrative surrounding Octavius Ellis is one wrought with complications. He has gotten caught up in a handful of on-court scuffles, most notably the brawl during the 2011 Crosstown Shootout and his ejection from an NCAA Tournament game against Purdue last year. In light of these incidents, there are those on both sides of the fence when it comes to Ellis, with some calling him a "common thug" and others defending him as an aggressive and emotional player with a troubled personal history.
Attempting to pigeon-hole Ellis, or any player, into a specific stereotype based solely on a few moments of erroneous judgement is a path bursting with racial and cultural implications that runs far deeper than basketball.