Paul Coro

azcentral sports

LAS VEGAS – The four point guards selected in the first round of this year’s NBA draft have opened Summer League play with a total of 25 assists and 40 turnovers.

The point guard that the Suns felt should have been selected in the mid-first round has 19 assists to only two turnovers through three games and is turning more heads on defense because of his 14 steals.

Ulis’ best friend, Devin Booker, was a frustrated onlooker at Ulis’ draft party in Chicago until he realized Ulis’ tumble past four other point guards meant the former Kentucky roommates could be reunited.

They played together for the first two NBA Summer League games, but the offense was turned more over to the Suns' No. 34 pick in the third game, when Ulis showed how he can be simultaneously creative and careful with the ball.

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“It’s just something I do – try to not turn the ball over, try not to make too many mistakes on the offensive end,” Ulis said. “As a point guard, I have to take care of the ball, so it’s just something that comes natural.”

Ulis has full-court vision, often swinging the ball to places where he knows teammates should be standing or going, like on a 35-foot alley-oop pass to Marquese Chriss.

Ulis is only 5 feet 10 and 149 pounds but still manages to use his body for separation. Twice on Tuesday, Ulis kept a defender on his hip with the dribble and then used a side step or a pump fake for a three-point play.

“All the traffic that he goes through,” Summer Suns head coach Nate Bjorkgren said of how Ulis’ efficiency has impressed him most. “He’s getting trapped. He’s getting pressured. Just for him to continue to probe and get into that paint is impressive. He’ll get guys on his hip. He’ll get guys trailing and doubling and he continues to make the right play.

“He’s got that vision where he’s counting colors of jerseys and counting jerseys out there and he knows where people are.”

Ulis knows he has to be more aggressive with plans to end Booker’s Summer League play before he joins USA Basketball’s Select Team camp with the Olympic team next week.

When he is not initiating offense by drives or passes, Ulis is doing it with his defense, too. Ulis pesters his man with full-court pressure and steps in on the dribble of players his teammates are guarding. Many good defenders anticipate passes for steals in passing lanes, but he does it off the man he is defending.

“When that basketball bounces, if the man doesn’t pick it up, he’s going to snatch it,” Bjorkgren said. “He stays between his man and the basket at all times.”

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When Suns teammate Michael Bryson joined Ulis’ backcourt pressure for a double team, Ulis dropped off just as Miami’s Nic Moore picked up the dribble to pass and Ulis stole the attempt.

“Trying to control my man defensively,” Ulis said. “Don’t let him control me. Just try to be as aggressive as possible and speed him up.”

Booker and Ulis entered Thursday’s play as first and second in assists at NBA Summer League. Ulis also is second in steals. He has scored 12.3 points per game but has won over the coaching staff with how intelligently he works with them during games.

Ulis has more than twice as many assists as any of the first-round point guards, none of whom have more assists than turnovers. Ulis’ assist-to-turnover ratio is a preposterous 9.5 to 1.

“He can run teams,” Booker said. “He uses his size as an advantage instead of a disadvantage. He slithers through pick-and-rolls, finds the open man. He’s really special. I think he’s going to fit in well with this team.”

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The Suns were considering re-signing Ronnie Price to be the third point guard, but the combination of Price telling the Suns he is signing elsewhere and Ulis' advanced Summer League play might allow Ulis to be the third point guard beyond Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight. The Suns also have Leandro Barbosa, who will sign with the Suns after the Olympics and has served as a combo guard.

Despite being picked in a round with no guaranteed money, Ulis signed a four-year, $4 million contract with the Suns that has similar money and structure to a late first-round pick. His first two years' salaries are guaranteed, but the second two are not.

"I have to come in and earn my spot," Ulis said. "We have a lot of great guards in Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Devin, Archie. There’s going to be a lot of great competition, so I can’t wait."