Ahron Ulis Preparing for Opportunity

Iowa Junior Sees Path to Starting PG position

Ahron Ulis sees the opportunity.

There are minutes to be had at the point guard spot and Ulis, heading into his junior season, knows he’ll get many of them.

Jordan Bohannon, who averaged almost 27 minutes per game last season, used up his eligibility. Joe Toussaint, who started 21 games, averaged 17.4 minutes, but he transferred at the end of the season.

Ulis, who averaged 14 minutes per game, understands he will play more.

So this summer is about preparing for that role.

“I’m viewing it as a big opportunity for me,” Ulis said. “I’m just staying in the gym as much as I can. That’s the greatest way to create better opportunities for yourself. Be a better player on the court, communicate — just build better relationships with guys on the team.”

That was something Iowa coach Fran McCaffery conveyed to him during their offseason meeting — to be the best you can be, you’re going to have to be a leader.

“He just talked to me about taking a bigger role this season,” Ulis said. “The work starts now. Just grow and get better.”

“I think he’s feeling really good about himself,” McCaffery said.

Ulis averaged 3.1 points per game, but was second on the team with 73 assists. He shot 34 percent from the field, 33.3 percent in 3-pointers.

Ulis scored in double figures twice last season, but McCaffery wasn’t afraid to use him in key situations. Ulis played a career-high 27 minutes in the double-overtime loss against Penn State, and he had an 11-point, seven-rebound game against Illinois.

“He had a little problem with his wrist, I think that affected him shooting the ball,” McCaffery said. “I think you’ll see him shoot it better, attack, and finish, the way he did earlier in the season.

“His effectiveness offensively wasn’t what it could have been. But he was still effective as a point guard, a defender, as another tough guy, competitive guy.”

McCaffery knows he has a lot of options at the point. Connor McCaffery, Fran’s son, has been one of the best in the nation at assist-to-turnover ratio throughout his career. Tony Perkins, who moved into the starting lineup for the final 15 games last season, can play either guard spot. Incoming freshman Dasonte Bowen was a highly-ranked point guard in high school. Freshman Josh Dix, once he recovers from a leg injury that cost him most of his high school season last year, can also play both guard spots.

That’s why Ulis knows he has to earn the minutes with offseason work.

It includes being more of a talker on the court.

“I would say it’s in my comfort zone,” Ulis said. “Being more and more vocal is going to be better for me and my teammates.”

The opportunity awaits.

“I would like to say I took a step forward,” Ulis said. “In college, you want to get better every year. That’s your main goal.I would like to come out of next season knowing I got better as a player, on and off the court.”