After surviving head-on crash, ex-UK star Tyler Ulis says, ‘I was blessed’
Former Kentucky star Tyler Ulis does not remember much about the scary car accident he experienced in late February.
“I just remember waking up,” he said this past week. “Everything I found out is what they told me.”
The other driver was going the wrong way on Interstate 75 and crashed head-on into Ulis’ car. His injuries included a broken left ankle and broken bones in one foot and both wrists.
“But no brain injuries or concussion or anything like that,” he said. “So, it’s bad to say (chuckles), but I was blessed.”
Because of surgery on his ankle, Ulis has not started the rehab process. He needs a wheelchair or a walker or crutches to get around. He credited his grandparents and his girlfriend for helping him endure.
“They literally had to basically do everything for me,” he said. “Bring me food. Helping me get to the bathroom. Literally the last four months, I haven’t had to lift a finger.
“I couldn’t ask for a better group of people. My family was like a trauma team.”
Ulis, who was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for 2015-16 (and also winner of the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award that season), has been planning for his future.
He intends to spend the next 18 months to two years completing work on a degree in communications from UK.
He is also planning to hold youth basketball camps in Lexington, Chicago and Lima, Ohio.
The Lexington camps will be June 29-July 1 and July 18-20 at Sports Center – Lexington (3801 Mall Road within walking distance of Fayette Mall).
The camp is for boys and girls ages 5 to 16. The fee is $175. Reservations can be made online at www.sportscenterlex.com or by calling 859-213-6116.
When asked why he’s doing the camps, Ulis said, “I just want to be able to help the next generation of kids get better and to be able to learn from a guy who’s done a few things when it comes to playing basketball.”
Ulis, who expects to no longer need a wheelchair by the end of the month, suggested that it was not coincidental that Lexington is a site for his camps.
“I wanted to come back here and show the love like they’ve shown me,” he said.
Ulis is also interested in coaching some day. He sees UK Coach John Calipari as an excellent mentor.
“I want to make sure I stay around the game,” he said.
His basketball life has been a testament to perseverance.
At 5-foot-8, he is the second-shortest player to ever participate in a NBA Combine. At 149 pounds, he is the slightest.
Injuries interrupted his professional career that began with being a second-round pick in 2016. He said he had surgeries on a hip and his core, plus a procedure on an ankle. That contributed to a nomadic basketball life in the NBA and G League.
The car crash ended his hopes of playing this season.
“I haven’t played a full season in the last four seasons,” he said.
Yet, he intends to play again. When asked what he attributed his tenacity to, Ulis credited the example set by his parents.
“My end goal is always the NBA,” he wrote in a text message. “But at this point, I’m focusing on things off the court and taking it day by day. I don’t have a timetable. But I won’t play this season! So, whenever I’m healthy, whenever I can get reps and test my health, I will play!”
Ulis voiced confidence that he can not only play, but again be a dynamic player.
“I feel the way my game was structured, I can be pretty much the same player I was before,” he said. “I’m not a guy who plays too fast or is overly explosive. And I don’t rely on a whole lot of athleticism.
“It’s more of a mind game, and using my quickness and my reads to my advantage.”
‘Life-long learning’
The president of Sports Center – Lexington is Bryan Hatton. His grandfather is former Kentucky All-American Vernon Hatton. The elder Hatton, now 86, was the leading scorer on UK’s 1958 national championship team and totaled 1,153 points in his college career.
When asked what it’s like to have a basketball icon as a grandfather, the younger Hatton said, “Liking basketball and enjoying it as much as I do, I’m able to call him after watching college games. He still has as good a feedback as anybody. … It’s been life-long learning for me, for sure.”
The younger Hatton recalled joining family members on the Rupp Arena court for a ceremony honoring his grandfather. On the occasion, UK either retired his grandfather’s jersey or gave him the piece of the court from where he made a 47-foot shot to send a game against Temple into a second overtime, Bryan said. UK won 85-83 in three overtimes on Dec. 7, 1957.
“I still remember actually hearing 23,000 people stand up and cheer for you,” Bryan said. “The hairs on your arms stand up.”
Senior dazed
A correction: A note a week ago said Reggie Warford’s length-of-the-floor inbounds pass that went in the basket happened in Kentucky’s last game in Memorial Coliseum (March 8, 1976).
Actually, it happened on Senior Day in 1975 when the freshmen class of 1971-72 (aka the Super Kittens) played their last home game.
The reaction to Warford’s inbounds?
“The place went berserk,” recalled Kevin Grevey, one of the seniors that day. “But, obviously, it didn’t count.
“It’s just like time stops when something like that happens. I don’t care if you’re in a full run. You stop. What just happened?!”
Grevey playfully recalled the seniors being upstaged on Senior Day by Warford (who was a junior) and freshman Rick Robey (28 points and 10 rebounds in the 109-84 victory over Vanderbilt).
“We’re supposed to be remembered, and Robey has a career (performance) and Reggie, you throw a heave,” Grevey said of the good-natured postgame teasing. “What’s with you guys? You guys have to take a back seat, a subservient role when the seniors have Senior Day.”
Contract extended
UK added one year to assistant coach Ron “Chin” Coleman’s contract. He also received an increase in pay.
Coleman’s new contract runs through June 30, 2025.
His pay for next season will increase from $500,000 to $575,000.
Pay for 2023-24 increases from $550,000 to $600,000.
And for the added year of 2024-25, UK will pay Coleman $650,000.
Powell on move
Former North Oldham High School standout Justin Powell has transferred from Tennessee to Washington State. Perhaps he and Keion Brooks can bring a taste of the UK-UT rivalry to the Washington-Washington State games next season. Brooks earlier transferred from Kentucky to Washington.
A four-star prospect, Powell began his college career playing for Auburn. He transferred to Tennessee after his freshman season (27.4 minutes per game, 11.7 points per game). Zakai Zeigler’s emergence as a contributing freshman last season contributed to Powell averaging 14.1 minutes and 3.7 points.
Coming and going
Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported that UK none-and-done Shaedon Sharpe is one of the first 10 players invited to be in the “green room” for the June 23 NBA Draft.
Other invitees include Jabari Smith (Auburn), Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga), Paolo Banchero (Duke), Jaden Ivey (Purdue) A.J. Griffin (Duke) and Keegan Murray (Iowa).
The 112 underclassmen who withdrew from this year’s draft included Keion Brooks (UK to Washington), Jacob Toppin (UK), Dylan Cardwell (Auburn), Allen Flanigan (Auburn), Josiah-Jordan James (Tennessee), Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee) and Shareef O’Neal (LSU).
Happy birthday
To ESPN commentator Dick Vitale. He turned 83 on Thursday. … To LaVon Williams. He turned 64 on Friday. … To Auburn one-and-doner Sharife Cooper. He turned 21 on Friday. … To Chuck Hayes. He turned 39 on Saturday. … To Diana Taurasi. She turned 40 on Saturday. … To Maya Moore. She turned 33 on Saturday. … To Jemarl Baker. He turns 24 on Sunday. … To Mychal Mulder. He turns 28 on Sunday. … To former Vanderbilt and South Carolina coach Eddie Fogler. He turns 74 on Sunday.
This story was originally published June 12, 2022 at 6:15 AM.
