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Tyler Ulis NBA Draft Profile – 5’9” Point Guard, University of Kentucky, 20 Years old
After finishing his second year in college, the mini point guard speedster is ready to make his mark in the NBA. He was often overlooked on his Kentucky Wildcats squad because of potential top 5 pick Jamal Murray. But needless to say, this kid has it all. Listed at just 5’10” with a wingspan of 6’2”, Ulis can do just about anything his fellow soon-to-be NBA rookies can do. From being physical to shooting deep threes, he has many weapons in his repertoire. Tyler is projected to get drafted towards the end of the first round, around the 20th-25th pick in the draft.
Strengths
Ulis may be small, but nevertheless, he has tons of speed. He is one of the fastest, most athletic, and smartest players in this year’s draft class. The next deadliest weapon in his repertoire is the way he converts three pointers. He was able to shoot three’s with the best of them in college, and it looks like he will be ready to do so as well when he steps into the NBA. Another strength of Ulis’s that sometimes goes unnoticed is how well he handles the ball. He averaged just 2 turnovers per game while averaging 36.8 minutes per game.
Weaknesses
Ulis’s most obvious weakness is his height. He is one of the shortest players in this year’s draft listed at 5’9”. He was a good defensive player in college, but it looks like his defensive capabilities are going to take a hit at the NBA level with all those superstars going right after him. Another big question mark facing Tyler is how effective will he be when attacking the rim where he shot just around 47%. Only time will tell if he will be able to compete with the seven-foot players surrounding him. Ulis also has an alleged hip injury that may cause him to slide from the middle of the first round all the way to the second round. The condition of Ulis’ hips make him a complete wild card in this year’s draft.
NBA Player Comparison
There are not many players in the NBA that are as small as Ulis. When you think of one the best smaller players in the league, the most obvious answer is Isaiah Thomas. Thomas entered the NBA with a question mark because of his size, just like Ulis this year. It may be hard for Ulis to repeat the numbers Thomas has put up, but don’t be surprised to see him come close.
