Former Kentucky basketball star and coach will follow John Calipari to Arkansas

Coach John Calipari is adding a valuable piece to his coaching staff.

Kentucky La Familia head coach Tyler Ulis, center, encourages Kerem Kanter (35) against The Nawf during the TBT tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. on July 21, 2024. / Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

One person on John Calipari's staff that was way more valuable than many fans knew was former Kentucky star point guard Tyler Ulis. Last season, Ulis played a big role in the development of Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard. Of course, both of these Wildcats went on to be top ten picks in the 2024 NBA Draft.

This summer, Coach Ulis was the head coach of Kentucky's alumni team, La Familia, as they went on a deep run in the TBT.

It was announced yesterday that Ulis will follow Coach Calipari to Arkansas. He will help continue to develop DJ Wagner and some of the young guards, especially Boogie Fland. Coach Ulis is going to be a very valuable part of Coach Calipari's staff this season, especially if those guards overachieve.

Big Blue Nation would love to see Ulis back in Lexington one day as a coach on Mark Pope's staff. Coach Ulis is still new to the coaching profession, but he is really good at it early into his career and definitely could be a head coach down the road.

Ulis is a fan favorite in Lexington, so Big Blue Nation is going to always cheer on the former Kentucky star, even with him at a new school coaching. It will be really interesting to see what the future holds for Ulis when it comes to coaching, but there is no question he has a bright future.

Coach Calipari and Coach Ulis will have an excellent team this season at Arkansas, and Kentucky will welcome them to Rupp Arena this year for a very pivotal matchup.

Join us in welcoming basketball assistant @tulis3! pic.twitter.com/dOGApbA00f

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) September 25, 2024