NBA Draft 2016: Unheralded Prospects with Pro Potential

Tyler Ulis, Kentucky Wildcats

Position: Point Guard

Age: 20 (1/5/1996)

Height, Weight, Wingspan: 5’9″, 160 pounds, 6’1.25″

Slash Line: .401/.292/.861

Season Averages: 36.0 MPG, 14.2 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.4 3PM

If Tyler Ulis were 6’3″ and played the same exact way, he’d be in the lottery discussion. Due to the fact that he’s 5’9″ and 160 pounds, however, there’s a legitimate possibility that the Kentucky Wildcats’ primary playmaker goes untouched in the 2016 NBA Draft.

That doesn’t mean he can’t make it in the NBA.

Ulis needs to improve his efficiency as a scorer, but his ball-handling, court vision, and decision-making are NBA-caliber. He can break a defender down in isolation, operate in transition, and runs high-screen games at a high level.

Ulis has deep 3-point range, but he needs to improve his shot selection and general shooting efficiency.

It may behoove the 20-year-old sophomore to spend another year under John Calipari instead of declaring for the 2016 NBA Draft. He can create openings, and has the confidence to be a jump shooter, but Ulis needs to polish his fundamentals.

It may be a taller task for Ulis than most others—pun intended—but he has the upside to be a key asset in an NBA rotation.

Next: The Value of Versatility