By LARRY VAUGHT
Former Kentucky guard Tyler Ulis, the 2016 SEC Player of the Year, SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Bob Cousey Award winner as the nation’s top point guard, has returned to the UK basketball program as a student assistant on coach John Calipari’s staff.
“He’s going to be great. He’s in our practices and talks to me after. I want him to watch tape and give me ideas,” Calipari said about Ulis.
Ulis was on UK’s 2014-15 team that started 38-0 before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four. He averaged 17 points per game as a sophomore in 2015-16 and had 246 assists to break John Wall’s career mark at UK. The Cats also won the SEC regular season and tourney championships.
He was the No. 34 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft but his pro career ended in the G-League in the 2019-20 season.
Ulis was seriously hurt in a car accident about a year ago in Michigan and is now back on campus taking courses. He has been on crutches since February.
Senior point guard Sahvir Wheeler is glad to have Ulis available to help him.
“His knowledge, his experience, not only here at the high level but in the NBA … his little details, especially at the point guard position because he played it,” Wheeler answered when asked about why he liked Ulis. “I am looking forward to being on the road with us and continuing to have him on the bench at home.
“He is super cool outside of basketball, too. Being able to talk to him, chop it up and share life experiences … he is just super cool to be around.”
Ulis says he has a natural bond with Wheeler.
“We’re both smaller guys. The NBA doesn’t like us too much but we’re guys who fight hard and play with toughness,” Ulis said in an interview with Tom Leach. “He leads the team very well. A few things I feel like I can help him out with and we’re going to get it done.”