Charlotte Hornets Souting Report: Tyler Ulis

The Charlotte Hornets recently held a pre-draft workout with projected first round pick , Tyler Ulis, as he is one of the top point guard prospects in this years’ NBA Draft.

Former Kentucky Wildcats’ point guard, Tyler Ulis, has entered his name in the 2016 NBA Draft and he is a projected late first round pick. DraftExpress.com ranks him as the #19 overall prospect in the draft. The Charlotte Hornets got a chance to scout him as he came in for a pre-draft workout with five other players.

Many sites have Ulis projected from anywhere from the late first round to an early second round selection. He spent two seasons at the University of Kentucky under head coach, John Calipari, who is regarded as one of the top college coaches. Tyler has the skill and talent of a lottery pick but he is a bit undersized for the NBA level and that could hurt his draft stock.

Ulis was one of the best players in college basketball this past season. He took home SEC Player of the Year honors as well as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also named as a First Team All-American this past year. His awards and player speak for themselves.

Steve Kyler of BasketballInsiders.com is reporting that Ulis has a “pretty significant hip issue” and it could hurt him going forward. This may cause him to drop in the draft and keep teams away from him in the first round. It will be interesting to see.

Name: Tyler Ulis   DOB: 1/05/1996 (20)   School: Kentucky

Height: 5’10”   Weight: 149   Projected Position: Point Guard

Wingspan: 6’2″   Standing Reach: 6’4.5″   Max Vertical: 38.0

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Offense:

Tyler Ulis was second on the Kentucky Wildcats in scoring this past season with 17.3 points per game. He also led the team in assets per game with 7.0. He shot an impressive split of 43.4% from the field, 85.6% from the free throw line, and 34.4% from the three-point line.

He is one of the fastest players in the draft with the ball in his hands. His uptempo style keeps the pressure on the defense. He would fit in nicely with what the Charlotte Hornets are trying to do with their offensive style. He reads the defense and makes the correct decision most of the time. He is not a player that would hurt his team with turnovers as he takes care of the ball.

Ulis is a true floor general as he sets up the offense and dominates possession with the ball in his hands. He is a pass first point guard who can easily create for his teammates on the court. He is also able to score the ball at will when asked of him and when need be.

He is one of the more mature point guard in the draft with his calm demeanor on the floor. He controls the tempo of the game and he is seen as a floor general. He is a player that is easy to coach and will reciprocate the coaches’ message to the other players on the court.

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Tyler is a good enough three-point shooter to keep defenses honest and his quick release will allow him to get his shot off over bigger players. His speed allows him to get past opposing point guards and he utilizes change of speed and crossovers to get open space.

It will be interesting to see if his offensive talents from college will be able to translate to the NBA game. He clearly has the skill level of a top player but his lack of height and strength could hurt him early in his pro career. His sheer talent may be enough to help him succeed early on.

Defense:

The defensive end of the floor will obviously be Tyler’s biggest challenge in the NBA. He may struggle with bigger and stronger guards but he will not be beaten off of the dribble because of his speed. He is able to stay in front of quick players with his foot speed and fast hands that can steal the ball.

Ulis averaged a team high 1.5 steals per game in his sophomore season with Kentucky. He is still young and will have plenty of room to grow as well as add muscle and strength to his game. Don’t expect him to be a shot blocker of any kind but his fast hands and feet will keep him from being a liability on that end of the floor.

Comparison:

Tyler Ulis could be compared to Charlotte Hornets’ legend, Muggsy Bogues, with their similar play. Luis utilizes speed to make up for his lack of height and strength much like Bogues did. If Ulis could pan out to be the type of player that Muggsy was, then it would be a huge steal for whatever team drafts him.

Fit:

He could be a great fit with the Charlotte Hornets. They may need to fill a void left by Jeremy Lin if he decides to leave in free agency. Ulis would be a younger and cheaper option but he would also be unproven. His speed and toughness would fit right in with what the team is trying to do on both sides of the ball

The only problem with Tyler is that he is undersized and that would mean that he could solely play the point guard position. The team would not be able to play him alongside Kemba Walker who is only 6’1 like they did with Lin. But he could bring much more to the table without being able to play the two guard position.

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Tyler Ulis could may be available for the Charlotte Hornets when they select with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft. It will be interesting to see where he lands but if he is available, the team should take a hard look at him. It will all come down to what the team feels like they need in terms of position.