New Arkansas Assistant An Impactful Hire

What does former Kentucky student assistant bring to the table for Razorbacks?

Former Kentucky Wildcats player Tyler Ulis sits on the bench during home game in Lexington. / Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — John Calipari has added a third assistant coach to his Arkansas staff in former Kentucky star point guard Tyler Ulis.

Caliapri announced the hire during his Tuesday podcast called "Ways To Win" with Craig Robinson. Ulis spent the previous two seasons with Wildcats as a student assistant. 

Ulis spent two seasons in Lexington as an undersized floor general for the Wildcats. He helped Kentucky to an undefeated regular season, but lost in the Final Four of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. He led the team in assists as a freshman with nearly four per game.

As a sophomore, he returned to many preseason accolades including first team All-SEC honors. After scoring 17 points, 7 assists and three rebounds per game, Ulis was named a consensus All-American by all national pundits. Throughout his college career, he made 43% of his field goal attempts, 37% from three and 85% from the line. 

Although he was measured at 5-foot-9 during NBA Combine testing, he was not the shortest player drafted as he came in ahead of Kay Felder by a quarter inch. Ulis was selected with the No. 34 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by Phoenix and produced at a high level during summer league competition. 

Ulis played two full seasons for the Suns and one appearance with the Bulls during the 2018-19 season. He played in 133 games over three years with 58 starts. Over his career, the former Kentucky guard averaged seven points per game while shooting 40% from the field and 81% from the line. 

“He gets drafted in the second round, he’s in Phoenix," Calipari said. "I’m watching him play. He’s incredible. He was fighting through screens, 300 pounds, he fought. They tried to post him, you’re not posting him.

“He has an injury to his hip and they do a surgery. Then it becomes muscles in his abdomen and that affects him. Then he goes home and he’s trying to get back and he has a car accident that almost takes his leg off. What I did was say, ‘Get down here, finish your degree. You’re gonna be on my staff.’ And he’s coming with me to Arkansas too.”

At the collegiate level, Ulis has yet to hit the recruiting trail as an assistant, which may not be a bad thing. His youthfulness will be key as he can relate to players being out of the college basketball scene less than a decade. Another huge asset is his time spent at the professional level. He knows what it takes to get there, specifics which GM's, scouts and coaches want in a player and how to develop into a standout rookie.

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