Golden State of Mind: Is Monta Ellis The Most Underrated Player in The NBA?

Monta Ellis is one of the premier shooting guards in the NBA.

He has remained consistent throughout his career, but in the minds of some, Ellis is nothing more than a product of the Golden State Warriors' high scoring offense.

That may be a reason that an All-Star designation has eluded him throughout his five year career.

It seems as though Ellis is considered among the biggest All-Star snubs on an annual basis. He is quickly becoming the London Fletcher of the NBA and it appears this year will be no different.

In the past two seasons, Ellis has averaged over 25 PPG, five APG, and two SPG.

Certainly that should designate him as an All-Star, but by playing on the Warriors, he is treated as a second class citizen.

Second year phenom Stephen Curry controls the point guard position, and upon his arrival, it seemed as though Ellis may be on the way out.

Surprisingly, both have been able to succeed in the Warriors fast break offense, despite their similar playing styles. Ellis and Curry make up one of the very best back-court combinations in the entire NBA.

That being said, many in the league see the Warriors' franchise as all offense no defense, which trivializes the All-Star numbers that Ellis is producing.

While Ellis may not be worthy of a start in this year's All-Star game, he is certainly worthy of being an All-Star reserve.

Coaches throughout the league are asked to fill out a ballot of their All-Star reserves, which include two guards, two forwards, a center, and two players from any position.

There are four slots Ellis could work his way into to enter the game, but another snub appears to be on the way. Being on the Warriors, Ellis has only been able to corral a measly Most Improved Player Award.

As long as Monta Ellis is a Golden State Warrior, teams will fail to take his accomplishments seriously and his accolades will be limited to "Snub of the Year".