The Phoenix Suns feel they won big by going small and grabbing Tyler Ulis with the 34th pick of the 2016 NBA draft.
Physically, he's as unimposing as a hoops prospect gets. The former Kentucky point guard is generously listed at 5'10" with shoes and weighed just 149 pounds at the combine. Between those measurements and a report of a "pretty significant hip issue" from Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler, Ulis carried enough question marks to fall from mid-to-late first-round projections into the second round.
But the floor general also had a rich resume to his name. He'd been a McDonald's All-American. He'd averaged 17.3 points and 7.0 assists as a sophomore for the Wildcats. He'd established himself as a potent scorer, savvy setup artist and dogged defender.
Physical issues aside, there were no basketball reasons for him to fall that far on draft night.
"We think, frankly, the only reason he's there is because of his size," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said after the selection, per ArizonaSports.com's Craig Grialou. "He's the SEC Player of the Year, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, high cha ...
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Article written by Zach Buckley
Realistic Expectations for Phoenix Suns Rookie Tyler Ulis in 2016-17
July 24th, 2016 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
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