 6 jersey was retired by both the Wildcats and his junior association, the Stirling Senators.Ellis began playing for the Stirling Basketball Association in 1974 and was a member of the club's first premiership team the following year.In the early 1980s, Ellis averaged over 30 points per game for five consecutive seasons and throughout his NBL career with the Perth Wildcats, he continued to play with the Stirling Senators.