Former Alabama shooting guard Keon Ellis, who spent his first two seasons split between the G League and NBA with the Sacramento Kings and their affiliate, has officially joined the NBA roster, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“Wojnarowski writes that the Sacramento Kings are signing guard Keon Ellis to a new three-year contract, according to Corey Marcum of EZ Sports Group,” Wojnarowski writes. “Ellis, who entered the league as an undrafted player out of Alabama, had previously been on a two-way deal but will now receive a standard NBA contract.”

This past offseason, Ellis inked another two-way contract with the Kings, which entitled him to a fixed salary equal to half the NBA’s minimum salary, approximately $560K, for one year, making him eligible for free agency at season’s end. Players on a two-way contract are permitted to play up to 50 games with their NBA team in a single season.

However, the 23-year-old has already appeared in 29 NBA games during the 2023-24 season, including three starts, averaging 3.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 11.9 minutes per game. His dedication and improvement have earned him a standard contract with the Kings, with the team banking on him to continue contributing as a valuable depth piece.

During his rookie season, Ellis joined the Kings on a two-way contract after going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft. He made appearances in 16 games, with an average of 1.5 points per game and shooting an impressive 50 percent from beyond the arc.

While playing for the Stockton Kings in the G League last season, Ellis demonstrated his scoring prowess by averaging nearly 17 points per game and logging an average of 30 minutes per game. Additionally, he contributed five rebounds and three assists per game.

One of Ellis’ standout performances in the NBA during his rookie year occurred in a February 5 game against the New Orleans Pelicans, where he recorded 10 points in just 16 minutes, shooting 3-of-5 from the field.