Vicky Graff Photo
LaFamilia, Kentucky’s alumni team that will be playing in a TBT (The Basketball Tournament) at Rupp Arena July 19-23, now has a familiar — and popular — head coach.
Former UK guard Tyler Ulis will coach the team that has Eric Bledsoe (2009-10), Daniel Orton (2009-10), Doron Lamb (2010-12), Marquis Teague (2011-12), Willie Cauley-Stein (2012-15), James Young (2013-14), Andrew Harrison (2013-15), Reid Travis (2018-19), Nate Sestina (2019-20), and Kellan Grady (2021-22).
Ulis was a key player on Kentucky’s 2014-15 team that started 38-0 before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four. The next season he was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and also the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, a rare double-double for any player. If that wasn’t enough, he was the SEC Tournament most valuable player and Bob Cousey Award winner as the nation’s top point guard.
He was drafted 34th overall by Phoenix in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Ulis was a student assistant on John Calipari’s staff at Kentucky from 2022-24 after an injury in an automobile accident ended his playing career.
“I’m very excited to be named La Familia’s first head coach,” Ulis said in a release from LaFamilia. “We’ve assembled a great group of Kentucky basketball legends, and I’m really looking forward to being able to work with everyone.
“Playing these games at home in front of our fans is an incredible honor for our group, and we’ll make sure the guys are focused this summer to go win that $1 million grand prize!”
Sixty-four teams will battle for the $1 million that goes to the winning team. Other teams in the Lexington bracket will be announced June 26.
Tickets for the Lexington Regional are now on sale at thetournament.com/tbt/tickets.
