NBA rookie survey shows love to young Suns, especially Tyler Ulis
Aug 30, 2016, 4:51 PM | Updated: Aug 31, 2016, 2:19 pm
(Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
By welcoming three rookies to the roster, it seemed inevitable the Phoenix Suns would see their players pop up on the annual NBA rookie survey. It’s just surprising who showed up where.
In a poll of 38 NBA first-year players, the Suns’ final pick in the 2016 draft, Tyler Ulis, came away with a few nods of appreciation from his fellow rookies.
Ulis, who was the 34th overall pick, ranked second with 12.9 percent of the vote for being the biggest steal, falling shot of 29th overall pick Dejounte Murray, who went to the San Antonio Spurs.
A 5-foot-9 point guard out of Kentucky, Ulis also came in third with 20.6 percent of the vote as the best playmaker, fourth with 8.8 percent of the vote for the best defender, and received votes for who will have the best career and who is the most athletic.
Phoenix’s lottery picks, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, also got recognized amongst their peers.
Bender, the fourth overall pick, was tied with third pick Jaylen Brown by earning 6.7 percent of the votes for who will have the best career.
Chriss took 9.7 percent of the votes and third for the most athletic player in the draft class behind Brown and the Clippers’ Brice Johnson. He also received at least one vote for biggest steal at his draft slot after being picked eighth by the Kings and traded to the Suns on draft night.