Suns pick Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis 34th in NBA Draft
Jun 23, 2016, 8:23 PM | Updated: 10:45 pm
Source: Tyler Ulis Instagram.
Add another Kentucky guard to the fold.
The Phoenix Suns selected 5-foot-9 UK point guard Tyler Ulis with the 34th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
The Phoenix Suns are selecting Kentucky's Tyler Ulis with the No. 34 pick in the NBA Draft, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2016
Such a move pairs Ulis with good friend and former Kentucky guard Devin Booker, not to mention fellow former Wildcat backcourt makes Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Archie Goodwin.
In his sophomore year at Kentucky, Ulis averaged 17.3 points, 7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Listed at 149 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, Ulis’ size is his biggest knock, but his ability to play as a floor general, defend with his quickness and hit a sound-enough 34 percent from three-point range projects well.
With the Suns boasting a deep backcourt, Ulis could be a candidate to play on the franchise’s D-League team, the Nothern Arizona Suns.
That said, Phoenix also lacks a third point guard behind Bledsoe and Knight.
Veteran Ronnie Price, who held that role last season, is an unrestricted free agent.
😊😊😊😊 Ulis family, welcome to the Phoenix family. pic.twitter.com/o7kfPpUhPW
— Devin Booker (@DevinBook) June 24, 2016
Phoenix drafted Croatian forward Dragan Bender No. 4 overall and then traded to acquire the eighth overall pick, where they selected Washington forward Marquese Chriss.
After entering draft day with four total picks and three in the first round, the Suns dealt the 13th and 28th picks to the Sacramento Kings to move into the No. 8 slot. They also traded the draft rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic, a 2014 first-round pick, and a 2020 second-rounder to nab Chriss.
