Perry Ellis speaks loudest on the basketball court. Not in the sense of how well he plays, although Ellis, a Kansas senior, is one of the country’s best players and the leading scorer on the top team. But in the sense of how much — and how loudly — he literally talks when on the court.
On defense, like a catcher in baseball, Ellis, a 6-foot-8 power forward, stands near the baseline, rotating as the opposing offense moves the ball along the perimeter. He tells guards where their men are. He yells out warnings of oncoming screens. If an offensive player breaks free for a clear shot, as he closes out he also barks at the shooter to try to disrupt him.