Ulis, Harrison pushing each other to be better players

By: LARRY VAUGHT



Tyler Ulis never worried about not being Kentucky’s No. 1 option at point guard in the 2014 recruiting class. The 5-foot-9, 155-pound Ulis — and that’s with about seven pounds he’s gained since arriving at UK — knew that Emmanuel Mudiay and Tyus Jones were rated higher than him and seen as the priority recruits.

However, don’t think Ulis was a backup plan. He might have been a little-known point guard at Chicago Marian Catholic High School, but he was not unknown to college coaches or recruiting analysts. He was the school’s all-time leader in points (2,335), assists (578) and steals (238) and made a name for himself in a city with plenty of current and former stars.

When he got a chance to accept a scholarship at Kentucky, he took it.

“Coach Cal was honest with me and that I would really have to work hard. That was fine. I’ve always done that. I didn’t worry about who else they were recruiting or who may or may not be on the team. I just knew Kentucky was for me,” Ulis said.
Kentucky fans now know Ulis is for them, too, after his play on the six-game exhibition trip to the Bahamas. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in just 20 minutes per game. He had a game-winning steal and score and showed his grit and toughness time after time. He also went 9 for 15 from 3-point range.

Former Wildcat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist came to the Bahamas and liked what he saw from Ulis.

“He’s really good. He’s small, but that doesn’t really mean anything,” Kidd-Gilchrist said.

Here’s more of what Ulis had to say on a variety of subjects, including his confrontation with former Kentucky star and NBA standout DeMarcus Cousins:

Question: What was your reaction to all the praise from media and fans that you got for your performance in the Bahamas?

Ulis: “It was just seeing what the Big Blue Nation was about as a fan base and seeing how they love college basketball and love us as a team and are going to be behind us.”

Question: Do you think fans had to finally see you play before they could really believe in your ability?

Ulis: “Yeah, because of my size a lot of people have their doubts. I feel like they have a little bit of a feel for what I can do on the court now. I think I played all right. I didn’t play great. There are a lot of things I need to work on, but this is going to be a fun season. I can’t wait.”

Question: Did the week in the Bahamas help your confidence or point out flaws to you?

Ulis: “It did help my confidence a lot, and it also showed me what I need to do and what I can and cannot do offensively and defensively at this level. It just helped me get a better understanding of what the games will be like and how Coach (John Calipari) wants me to play.”

Question: What did you learn that you cannot do offensively?

Ulis: “Certain things like getting in the lane and finishing around guys. In high school I could go in there with the bigs and jump in and finish. I have to pull up and use some jumpers at the free-throw line. A lot of different things I need to work on.”

Question: How much truth is there to the story that surfaced during the Bahamas trip that you almost got into a fight with Cousins during a pickup game on a recruiting visit?

Ulis: “I mean, the story is true, but it is not that big a deal. We had an argument back and forth about a call. He was — we got into a little argument. It’s not like we had an all-out fistfight out there. He’s very intense and is a big guy, a bully. So we went at it a little bit about a call.”

Question: Do you think maybe he was just testing your toughness?

Ulis: “Maybe. It was just a call. There was nothing else to it.”

Question: When you came to McCracken County last season and played with a sprained right wrist and then came back in after taking an elbow to the face, was that an example of your normal toughness?

Ulis: “I had sprained my wrist the game before. I knew Cal would be at the game, so I could not come all that way and not play. I just came out, wrapped my wrist up and played through it. I only played three quarters, so it wasn’t that bad. I was just trying to play.”

Question: Did that event give you a feel for what Kentucky basketball fans were like?

Ulis: “Yes. The game was full of Kentucky fans. Where we played is about four hours from Lexington. Just seeing how many fans were out there, it was just an honor to know I am part of this. It’s great.”

Question: Why were you hoping as many players as possible would return to Kentucky, knowing that might limit your playing time?

Ulis: “We know that the more people that stayed, the better chance we had of winning the national championship and that is everybody’s goal. Who doesn’t want to come to college and win a national championship? With the guys coming back it just pushes us to be better and shows us the ropes and what we have to do to be successful.”

Question: What is your relationship like with point guard Andrew Harrison?

Ulis: “He’s cool. He is fun to be around on and off the court. He is very competitive on the floor, and we get after it. It is great for both of us.

“He is pushing me to be a better player, and I am pushing him to be a better player. Just picking him up full court in practice and him being physical with me. It’s just great for us and the team, and I can’t wait for the season. It will be a lot of fun.”

Question: Was Mudiay right when he said you had gone against so many big guards that it is not that difficult for you any more?

Ulis: “It’s not that hard. Andrew is a bigger guard than most of them. Mudiay is probably the biggest guard I have played against. We actually really had a close relationship. We played together at a couple of camps. We were successful together. I don’t think we ever lost a game. We just loved playing with each other. He is now doing big things where he is at (playing professionally in China). Andrew is bigger, and he is strong and physical. He is pushing me to be better.”

Question: Why were there questions about your 3-point shot?

Ulis: “I didn’t know that many people had that knock on my game. I don’t know honestly. I never knew that people said I couldn’t really shoot.”

Question: Didn’t you work a lot with your personal trainers to strengthen your legs to help your 3-point shot?

Ulis: “I knew I would have to have that at this level. You want people to have to guard you out away from the basket at the 3-point line. You want to work on your game and be the best player you can be. The better you can shoot the ball, the more pressure they have to apply to you and the more you can get players open.”

Question: Were those individual workouts in high school even more valuable to you than you realized at the time?

Ulis: “I am glad I did that. That’s one reason I am here right now. A lot of hard work paid off. The weightlifting workouts here are kind of the same that we did at home. We do different stuff like eat a different way, eat more, get more meals in so I can gain weight. It’s good. I gained about eight pounds since I came. I hope to gain more but it will be hard during the season when you sweat a lot. I am just trying to get my body in the best shape possible.”

Question: What do you do in Lexington if you are not playing basketball?

Ulis: “I sleep a lot in the lodge. It is quiet and peaceful. Whenever we are not in the gym, I am either asleep or just out somewhere with the team.”

Question: Has your relationship with Calipari changed much since you got to campus?

Ulis: “It is the same. It is much different than the Calipari that everyone speaks about yelling and being hard on his point guard. He has not really been hard on me yet. He’s just telling me certain things I have been doing wrong and certain things I need to change and get better at.”

Question: Will you see another Calipari soon?

Ulis: “I probably will see him soon.”

Question: Are you excited about Big Blue Madness?

Ulis: “I am very excited about that. It will be my first time playing in Rupp (Arena), and it will show me firsthand what everything is about.”

Question: Since you already are a fan favorite, are you anxious to hear your ovation that night?

Ulis: “Yeah. Hopefully I don’t get nervous in there with all those people focused on me. I am just going to come out and try to have fun.”

Question: How proud do you think your father is right now with what you have already done at Kentucky?

Ulis: “I think he is very proud. He is always telling me to keep my head straight, stay out of trouble and work hard.”