2016 NBA Mock Draft: Sixers win the lottery, land Ben Simmons

PG. Kentucky. Tyler Ulis . 20. player. 100. <p>Not many 5-9 players have made significant impacts in the NBA. Just two players that height have made an NBA All-Star game–Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy and current Celtic Isaiah Thomas. Comparisons to Thomas for Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis will be inevitable given their similar size, but Ulis will enter the league as a much more highly touted prospect than the Washington product who was taken with the draft’s final selection in 2011.</p> <p>Although he averaged 18.8 points per 40 minutes during his sophomore campaign, Ulis is not the same type of natural scorer that characterizes Thomas’ game. The Wildcats’ guard did connect on 37.1 percent of his threes while in a Kentucky uniform, but he is at his best operating as a floor general and extension of the head coach. Ulis is an excellent leader and facilitator. He averaged an impressive 7.6 assists per 40 minutes last season, which is tied for the second best mark among NCAA point guards in the 2016 draft class. It’s those skills that causes Ulis to proclaim he would be a top two pick in the draft if he were just a few inches taller.</p> <p>One concern with Ulis is how his defense will translate. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, but he will be forced to consistently play against larger opponents in the NBA who will test his defensive acumen on a nightly basis.</p> <p>Ulis would slot in nicely as a backup point guard for the Pacers and provide a good floor leader who can run the offense, especially when George Hill is on the bench.</p> <p><em>To read more about Tyler Ulis, <a href=