Wayne Ellington's father killed in Philadelphia

Wayne Ellington

Los Angeles guard Wayne Ellington’s father was shot dead on Sunday night in Philadelphia. Police said that Mr. Ellington was found shot in the head in the driver’s seat of a car in the Germantown section of northwest Philadelphia. Police are still on the lookout for suspects.

"My family and I are devastated by the news of my father's murder on Sunday night in Philadelphia," Ellington said in a statement released by the team. "We appreciate everyone's support and ask that you respect the privacy of our family during this very difficult time." Lakers coach Byron Scott is unsure when Ellington will return to the team.

"It was just very sad news, obviously, and all of us have to give him space to grieve and deal with this with his family and we'll welcome him back with open arms when he decides to come back," Scott said.

"Again, this is our livelihood, but it's still just a game. This thing that's happening with Wayne is real life. It kind of puts everything in perspective, too. As a team, we'll obviously keep going on and trying to win games, but I think all of us, every now and then -- during the game, after the game, before the game -- will have Wayne on our mind,” Scott added.