Debuted through the 2016 NBA Draft, Tyler Ulis is the vast ocean of calm demeanor yet with the potential for a tsunami.
Just a few years into the NBA, he has reached the level of being a respectable athlete that some spend most of their lives for.
Often named as the ‘annoying defender,’ Tyler is best known for his quick ball handling and game transitions. Furthermore, he is awed for his controlled shoot and high motor despite his shortened height in the NBA’s eyes.
Currently, the young athlete features as the point guard for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. Besides that, he started playing in high school, and later, he played for teams as the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls.
All in all, Ulis is a transparent player, afraid of nothing, the wounds or the taller players. Herewith, I hope to catch up with the important steps of his life through the article.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Tyler Ulis |
Date of Birth | January 5, 1996 |
Birth Place | Southfield, Michigan |
Nick Name | Not available |
Religion | Christianity |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
Age | 26 years old |
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
Weight | 160 lb (73 kg) |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Black |
Build | Athletic |
Father’s Name | James Ulis |
Mother’s Name | Kelly Reed |
Siblings | Four brothers, Ahron Ulis, James Ulis, Jaden Reed, and Anton Porter Ulis |
Education | Marian Catholic High School University of Kentucky |
Marital Status | Unmarried |
Girlfriend | None |
Profession | Basketball player |
Position | Point Guard |
Professional since | 2016 NBA Draft |
Affiliations | Phoenix Suns Northern Arizona Suns Chicago Bulls Stockton Kings |
Merchandise | Jersey, Rookie Card |
Net Worth | $1.7 million |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Last Update | July, 2022 |
Body Dimensions
Tyler Ulis stands at a medium height of 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) and weighs 160 lb. He is a fit and athletic player (73 kg). Despite being short, he uses his power pack gameplay to his advantage.
“I’ve always been small. It is not brand-new. I started adjusting when I was young. I am aware of how to work around it and benefit from it.
Taylor Ulis
Aside from that, Ulis is said to have a wingspan of 6′ 2.0″, hand width of 7.50”, and an overall body fat percentage of 5.20 percent. Ulis has black eyes, black hair, and a tan complexion. His eyes are the same color as his hair.
Ulis also has a short, curly hairstyle and an oval-shaped, small face. He also has tattoos all over his arm and a sliver of a beard.
Tyler Ulis actually has numerous tattoos on his shoulders and arms. He got a tattoo on his shoulder in 2019—one of his more recent ink jobs.
The athlete gives off a spooky vibe with his Kentucky Chucky and evil eye. In addition, he follows a consistent workout schedule and eats a healthy diet.
Early Years | Tyler Ulis
Ulis was born to parents Kelly Reed and James Ulis on January 5, 1996, with the Capricorn sun sign. Along with his four brothers Ahron Ulis, James Ulis, Jaden Reed, and Anton Porter Ulis, he grew up in Southfield, Michigan.
Despite his parents’ divorce, Ulis had a happy childhood filled with fond memories.
Ulis and his brother Ahron Ulis later resided with their mother and stepfather. In Lima, Ohio, they spent their formative years together.
Ulis discovered a way to take advantage of his height advantage while playing sports with his younger brother Ahron during those times. Ulis’ daily goal at the time was to be accepted to Michigan State so he could play basketball on a scholarship there.
Tyler Ulis, a sports enthusiast, consistently attended Travis Walton’s every single home game. Ulis then started his track workout, where he ran the 800 and 1500 meters.
Ulis’ family is also all active. On the one hand, Travis, his cousin, won Defensive Player of the Year in the 2009 Big Ten Conference.
The Cincinnati Lady Bearcats’ point guard Shareese Ulis, the Toledo Blade’s Player of the Year, is his cousin and a member of the team.
Upper School
Ulis wanted to relocate to a larger area for his education because he had spent a large portion of his life in a small Lima city. He consequently relocated to Matteson, Illinois, where he went to Marian Catholic High School.
Being only 5 feet 3 inches tall and competing against Tracy Abrams in his freshman year, Ulis received little attention. Up until his senior year of high school, success wasn’t at all simple.
Ulis, on the other hand, advanced Marian Catholic every season. Taking the Class 4A sectional round of the 2013 Illinois High School Association as an example. Ulis was a part of the team that helped the school win its first IHSA sectional and finish 29-4 overall.
In addition to that, he established his own name while finishing fourth in the Illinois Mr. Basketball competition behind Malcolm Hill, Jahlil Okafor, and Jabari Parker. The Chicago Tribune selected him for the first team of all-state in the interim.
Tyler Ulis had received offers from Oregon State, DePaulDayton, Loyola, Northern Illinois, and Iowa in total.
adult years
Ulis was the 38th best prospect in the 2014 national class by the time he reached his senior year. ESPN ranked him as the eighth-best point guard alongside.
Ulis then played against Lake Forest High School during his senior year and scored a career-high 42 points. Overall, he guided his school to the top spot in the IHSA Class 4A tournament’s Thornton sectional.
Ulis was one of the five favorites to win Illinois Mr. Basketball throughout his senior year.
Result
Despite the fact that Tyler Ulis initially had no name recognition and had difficulty in his junior year. He continued to be a fresh face in the field and received numerous awards.
The 2014 McDonald’s All-American Game roster included Ulis for the first time along with Okafor, Alexander, Karl-Anthony Towns, Trey Lyles, and Devin Booker. He was also standing in the 2014 Jordan Brand Classic at the time.
Overall, Tyler Ulis was named to the Class 4A first team All-state by the Associated Press. Furthermore, he was chosen for the 2014 USA Today third team All-USA Boys Basketball Team.
College
Tyler Ulis chose the University of Kentucky as his school of choice after graduating from high school. “I felt like I could be the best player I could be coming here,” the player said.
Quotes from Tyler Ulis
Ulis shook the earth beginning in his freshman year. With his inclusion on the Wayman Tisdale Award Watch List and selection as SEC Freshman of the Week, he was already successful.
It is safe to say that he was a valuable member of the Kentucky team as a result. He was selected for the 8-man 2015 SEC All-Freshman Team as well as the 36-man 2014–15 Bob Cousy Award Preseason Watch List.
Ulis recorded a season-high 14 points despite having previously missed time due to an injury. He appeared on both the 30-man Lute Olson Award preseason watchlist and the 20-man Bob Cousy Award preseason watchlist, just like the one before.
Overall, NBC Sports ranked him 22nd and ESPN 5th in the top 100 player rankings. Within the first 40 minutes of play in the college games, he recorded a career-high 18 points and a game-high 6 assists.
The following game against Wright State also saw a career-high 21 points. Ulis progressed further and was named to the John R.
A 20-man Oscar Robertson Trophy midseason watch list is listed after the Top 25 Wooden Award Midseason Watch List.
Tyler finished the regular season with a career-high 14 assists and 14 points.
Ulis was the only athlete to win both the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season as a result.
Ulis finished the book with a total of 30 points, a career high, and won the Bob Cousy Award.
Additionally significant, according to the Associated Press, he was the MVP of the 2016 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament and was the shortest All-American since Johnny O’Brien.
Tyler Ulis | Career Information
Ulis forwent his remaining days and entered the 2016 NBA Draft before finishing his college career.
Tyler Ulis, who took part in the draft, was ranked as the second-tallest player there after Kay Felder. He was also the player there who weighed the least.
Ulis’ draft came first because it was announced during the event that he may need hip surgery in the future due to a hip issue. He was later selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 34th overall pick in the second round.
Then, in July, they agreed to a $1 million, two-year contract with two team option years.
Arizona Suns
In September, Tyler Ulis joined the Suns and faced the Sacramento Kings in his first game. Additionally, he had 10 points and 4 steals in his first season-high game against the Indiana Pacers.
During the game against the Sacramento Kings with all the games, Tyler Ulis made his NBA debut.
Ulis recorded his first double-double during the contest with 13 points. Ulis played 61 games in total, scoring 7.3 points, dishing out 3.7 assists, and pulling down 1.6 rebounds.
Tyler Ulis underwent right ankle surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City prior to beginning the following season. He didn’t play in the 2017 NBA Summer League as a result, but he did show up for the November game.
Ulis ultimately faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ulis again missed the first eight games of the following season before playing again in March.
On June 30, 2018, he officially parted ways with the Suns. He then spent a brief month playing for the Golden State Warriors.
Illinois Bulls
In October 2018, Tyler Ulis signed a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls. Ulis agreed to play for the NBA G League’s Windy City Bulls as part of the contract.
Ulis played for just over a month in total, scoring 25 points and dishing out 7 assists before undergoing a left hip arthroscopy.
Kings of Stockton
Ulis left the Bulls on December 27, 2018, and the Sacramento Kings later acquired him in September 2019. The Kings only retained him for one month before waiving him off in October.
He was subsequently signed by the Stockton Kings, who are the Kings’ G League affiliate.
Tyler Ulis | Career Stats
Year | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
Career | 133 | 58 | 20.9 | .403 | .280 | .808 | 1.7 | 4.0 | .9 | .1 | 7.5 |
Highlights And Achievements
Often when basketball players are known for their height, Ulis stands lower than most. However, it never opposed him as the problem as now, he is known for his defensive presence.
- Consensus first-team All-American (2016)
- Bob Cousy Award (2016)
- SEC Player of the Year (2016)
- SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2016)
- First-team All-SEC (2016)
- SEC All-Freshman Team (2015)
- SEC Tournament MVP (2016)
- McDonald’s All-American (2014)
Tyler Ulis | Net Worth, Salary & Career Earnings
As of 2020, Tyler Ulis is estimated to have a $1.7 million net worth with a base annual salary of $50,000.
Besides that, his estimated annual earnings amount to $2,280,980.
To illustrate, the young NBA player is awesome on and off the field and now has founded the Tyler Ulis Foundation.
The charity foundation aims to educate and encourage youth through camps and mentoring programs.
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Tyler Ulis | Private Life and Social Media
While Tyler Ulis has been rocking in the field, his personal life is much into the shade. Although he shares plenty of uploads into his social media platform, his dating history is unknown.
According to the sources, Ulis is currently single, and his past doesn’t have any inclusion of partners. Thus, we can only make up to the conclusion that he is thoroughly focused on his career.
His social media platforms are listed below. You can follow Ulis to get all the latest news about him.
Instagram handle | @tulis3 |
Twitter handle | @tulis3 |
Tyler Ulis | FAQs
Can Tyler Ulis dunk?
Yes, Tyler Ulis can dunk, and as per the news, he never doubted that skill of his. However, he has never got the chance to portray it.
Is Tyler Ulis famous for his defense?
Yes, the basketballer was quite well-known for his defense during his collegiate year. Furthermore, he brought the same exceptional defense into the NBA and was praised for it by many experts.
Is Tyler Ulis a free agent?
After the Chicago Bulls waived him at the end of 2018, he became a free agent. Thereafter, he started playing for the Sacramento Kings who waived him as well.
Nevertheless, he ended up playing for the team’s NBA G League affiliate Stockton Kings. The basketballer serves them as an exceptional point guard.
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