Calipari Bringing in Another Kentucky Connection to Hogs

Former Player of the Year, All-American for Wildcats another big name now with Razorbacks' staff

New Arkansas Razorbacks assistant Tyler Ulis on the floor in the practice center in Fayetteville, Ark. / Arkansas Communications

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach John Calipari has brought another one of his Kentucky All-American players to town.

Tyler Ulis, the 2016 SEC Player of the Year and consensus first team All-American, has joined the Razorback men’s basketball program as an assistant according to an official Razorback Athletics announcement on Friday afternoon.

Ulis, who had his professional career cut short due to injury from a car accident, had been at Kentucky the past two seasons as a student assistant coach. His duties included all on-court activities including practices, individual workouts and film sessions, while assisting the staff with practice and game-plan preparation.

Also, in the summer of 2024, Ulis served as head coach for the Kentucky-based “La Familia” team and led the squad to the TBT semifinal.

While playing at Kentucky, Ulis was one of the most decorated players in the country for the 2015-16 season, his second year with the Wildcats. He earned consensus first team All-American honors — being named to a total of nine All-American teams — and was the SEC Player of the Year.

Additionally, Ulis won the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard, was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, tabbed first team All-SEC and was the SEC Tournament MVP. He joined Anthony Davis as the only men to win the SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.

He was one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy and one of 10 finalists for the Wooden Award. On the court, he led the SEC and ranked seventh in the NCAA in assists (with a UK season record of 7.03 assists per game) while dishing out a UK single-season record of 246 helpers on the season.

He also ranked sixth in the SEC in scoring (17.3 ppg), second in free throw percentage (.856), third in free throws made (167), seventh in double-doubles (8) and 10th in field goal percentage (.434) while leading the league in minutes (36:48 avg.). As a freshman, Ulis was named to the 2015 SEC All-Freshman Team as he led the Wildcats and ranked ninth in the SEC in assists (3.6 avg. with a total of 135).

Kentucky went 38-1 with its lone loss coming to Wisconsin in the 2015 Final Four. Despite playing just two seasons, Ulis ranks 10th on the school’s career assist list with 381.

After his sophomore season, Ulis entered the 2016 NBA Draft and was the 34th overall pick (second round) by the Phoenix Suns. He made an impact immediately with the franchise as he earned second team All-NBA Summer League honors. In his first NBA season (2016-17), Ulis averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists to finish 14th in the voting for the 10-man NBA All-Rookie team.

Ulis played 71 games in his second season (2017-18) with the Suns and averaged 7.8 points and 4.4 assists. In 2018, Ulis was signed by the Chicago Bulls.

His final season of professional basketball was 2019-20 with the Stockton Kings. Ulis was a McDonald’s All-American in 2014, played in the Jordan Brand Classic, named third team USA Today All-American and was a consensus five-star while at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill.

He was a two-time All-State selection and finished among the top four in the Illinois Mr. Basketball voting twice. Ulis, a native of Lima, Ohio, is continuing to complete his degree from Kentucky and is expected to graduate this coming December.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

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