New Story ***Hawkeyes land Chicago PG Ahron Ulis***

[Blair Sanderson]

Iowa gets commitment from Ahron Ulis

Iowa has picked up a verbal commitment from Ahron Ulis.

Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport
@hawkeyereport

The Hawkeye basketball program has finally landed a verbal commitment from a member of the Ulis family.

Many long time followers of basketball recruiting will remember back to the summer of 2013 when Tyler Ulis broke the hearts of Iowa fans.

The five-star point guard from the Chicago area was the Hawkeyes top target in the Class of 2014 and the Hawkeyes were in the thick of the race until Kentucky ended up offering in July, which essentially ended his recruitment.

Fast forward to the summer of 2019 and Iowa was on the lookout for a point guard for their 2020 recruiting class and another Ulis emerged on their radar. This time, it was the Hawkeyes with an offer to Ahron Ulis, the younger brother of Tyler, during the summer and this time Iowa landed their target.

Ulis, a three-star prospect, announced on Tuesday that he has verbally committed to the University of Iowa. He is the first verbal pledge for Fran McCaffery’s program in the Class of 2020.

Last season, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 18.3 points and 4.4 assists at Marian Catholic High School, leading the team to a 27-5 record. On the AAU circuit this spring and summer, Ulis averaged 12.2 points and 5.2 assists playing for the Chicago based Meanstreets program on Nike’s EYBL circuit.

 

[NevadaHawk]

Fantastic! Welcome Ahron!

 

[Franisdaman]

Crazy that the Tyler Ulis recruitment disappointment occurred 6 years ago!!!

Time flies.....

 

[Rustys Dad]

Crazy that the Tyler Ulis recruitment disappointment occurred 6 years ago!!!

Time flies.....

That is crazy!

 

[Bro D]

Similar size and haircut as Ja Morant. I could live with that

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Iowa gets commitment from Ahron Ulis

Iowa has picked up a verbal commitment from Ahron Ulis.

Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport
@hawkeyereport

The Hawkeye basketball program has finally landed a verbal commitment from a member of the Ulis family.

Many long time followers of basketball recruiting will remember back to the summer of 2013 when Tyler Ulis broke the hearts of Iowa fans.

The five-star point guard from the Chicago area was the Hawkeyes top target in the Class of 2014 and the Hawkeyes were in the thick of the race until Kentucky ended up offering in July, which essentially ended his recruitment.

Fast forward to the summer of 2019 and Iowa was on the lookout for a point guard for their 2020 recruiting class and another Ulis emerged on their radar. This time, it was the Hawkeyes with an offer to Ahron Ulis, the younger brother of Tyler, during the summer and this time Iowa landed their target.

Ulis, a three-star prospect, announced on Tuesday that he has verbally committed to the University of Iowa. He is the first verbal pledge for Fran McCaffery’s program in the Class of 2020.

Last season, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 18.3 points and 4.4 assists at Marian Catholic High School, leading the team to a 27-5 record. On the AAU circuit this spring and summer, Ulis averaged 12.2 points and 5.2 assists playing for the Chicago based Meanstreets program on Nike’s EYBL circuit.

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[Franisdaman]

That is crazy!

Sep 13, 2013 is when Tyler Ulis announced his commitment to the University of Kentucky

Not sure, however, if Michigan State or Iowa would have been his 2nd choice.

 

[perryhawk]

Our back court of the future is getting pretty athletic......at least at PG it is!

This is a good pick up and a good start to this class.

 

[CanadaHawk]

 

[Ballhawk1221]

Welcome aboard, Ahron!

So long as he gets his shot right, this looks like a solid pickup. If Bohannon redshirts, we'll have 4 PGs on the roster in 2020. When was the last time that happened?

 

[anon_wic6m41528ao4]

Definitely our 3rd or 4th option, but it looks like Ulis has solid potential. Now on to the next one. Would love to pair him with Powell.

 

[Ballhawk1221]

Definitely our 3rd or 4th option, but it looks like Ulis has solid potential. Now on to the next one. Would love to pair him with Powell.

Don't get your hopes up about Powell.

 

[StormHawk42]

So I assume this means they won’t be going after Bowen Born anymore? Not saying they made a mistake, I just don’t foresee there being room now.

 

[TheCDiggity]

Definitely our 3rd or 4th option, but it looks like Ulis has solid potential. Now on to the next one. Would love to pair him with Powell.

Was that username your 99th or 100th option?

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Welcome Ahron and the Ulis family. Good start to the 2020 class.

 

[IowaNiceHawk]

Xavier Foster to Iowa by end of the week ?

Or is that getting greedy ??

Go Hawks

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I like this newest Hawk commitment a lot. Good height and length for a PG, shoots and drives - athletic.

But what I like most are what coaches and recruiting experts are saying. Coachable, under the radar, a coaches dream, tough, loves to compete, undervalued. Hope the Hawks have found a diamond in the rough - even tho he's not that rough!

 

[icwesthawk]

But, but...Fran can't recruit good point guards. Welcome aboard Mr Ulis, enjoy Iowa City!!

 

[silasstarr]

Good pick up. Let's get some momentum going. Foster next?

 

[33hawkfan]

Fran's been playing the long game here, he's gonna pull his scholarship right before he's about to enroll. Payback for Tyler.

 

[David1979]

But, but...Fran can't recruit good point guards. Welcome aboard Mr Ulis, enjoy Iowa City!!

How do we know he is a good PG?

 

[Fan In Black]

Fran's been playing the long game here, he's gonna pull his scholarship right before he's about to enroll. Payback for Tyler.

 

[DodgerHawki]

How do we know he is a good PG?

Because he is a Hawkeye

Seriously though we won't know until he plays (duh). If you're not going to land a Carton or player ranked at that level, I like Ulis' potential. Keep bringing in versatile, tough, athletic guards. If 2-3 of them work out, you have a good backcourt.

 

[JEDN]

Ulis certainly looks the part on tape!

 

[Greenway12]

Sweet!

 

[SDHawkDoc]

But, but...Fran can't recruit good point guards. Welcome aboard Mr Ulis, enjoy Iowa City!!

But he did have issues. Now it appears he's had success, at least from what can be seen of the video of Toussaint and Ullis, in the most recent recruiting cycles.
I credit him for what at least looks like movement in the right direction.

 

[icwesthawk]

How do we know he is a good PG?

I was waiting for this

 

[Ballhawk1221]

But he did have issues. Now it appears he's had success, at least from what can be seen of the video of Toussaint and Ullis, in the most recent recruiting cycles.
I credit him for what at least looks like movement in the right direction.

Both guys were late summer pickups, but he waited on Toussaint until after Carton eliminated Iowa. This time he took Ulis even though Jalen Suggs technically hasn't eliminated Iowa yet. IMO that's the right strategy--shoot for the 5-stars but know when to cut bait and take the talented under-the-radar kid. Until Iowa starts making waves in the tournament every year, it'll be tough to land big-time PGs who aren't die hard Hawk fans.

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

Fran's been playing the long game here, he's gonna pull his scholarship right before he's about to enroll. Payback for Tyler.

STFU

 

[CanadaHawk]

Both guys were late summer pickups, but he waited on Toussaint until after Carton eliminated Iowa. This time he took Ulis even though Jalen Suggs technically hasn't eliminated Iowa yet. IMO that's the right strategy--shoot for the 5-stars but know when to cut bait and take the talented under-the-radar kid. Until Iowa starts making waves in the tournament every year, it'll be tough to land big-time PGs who aren't die hard Hawk fans.

I agree that this is a good recruiting strategy, but only half describes it. Part of taking the talented under the radar kids is waiting to see how they develop as long as possible and (of course) shoot for the big fish in the meantime. Ulis had a good spring. Fran noticed and offered before others did. It looks like he might have waited too long for Powell. But that’s only because Iowa sits very well with Foster.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

ESPN has Ahron as a mid level 3 star, grade of 77 FWIW. It looks like they have never had a scout on him as they show him at 5'11" and everyone else appears to have him at 6'2".

For comparison purposes, Joey T is a low 4* with a grade of 80 and Jordan Bohannon was a low 4* with a grade of 80. C McC was an 83, although listed as a shooting guard, possibly his ultimate position since the 21 squad will have now three other PGs. Or, perhaps Ulis will RS freshman year...not many minutes with Jordan, Joey T and C McC (if he sticks at PG) ahead of him.

….and yes, Connor will need to demonstrate he has more than blind squirrel skills at shooting before he can really be a shooting guard.

 

[DougERotten]

Got him away from Siena, DePaul, New Mexico St, Illinois State, UW-Milwaukee. Does that move the needle for competing for future conference titles. They need more!

 

[Rudolph]

Maybe my favorite thing about Ahron is that, by virtue of being Tyler's brother, he surely has spent a fair amount of time on the floor with pros doing skill work and/or pickup games. Never mind how this can advance skill development, this can translate into a level of confidence, a slowing down of the game, that gives him maybe an advantage as a college player.

This is my hope anyway.

 

[QChawks]

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

Move CMac to the 3. He can backup Joe W. His guard shooting skills, along with his defensive abilities on quicker guards is just not there, nor will it ever be... Another ballhandler/passer down low would not hurt.

ESPN has Ahron as a mid level 3 star, grade of 77 FWIW. It looks like they have never had a scout on him as they show him at 5'11" and everyone else appears to have him at 6'2".

For comparison purposes, Joey T is a low 4* with a grade of 80 and Jordan Bohannon was a low 4* with a grade of 80. C McC was an 83, although listed as a shooting guard, possibly his ultimate position since the 21 squad will have now three other PGs. Or, perhaps Ulis will RS freshman year...not many minutes with Jordan, Joey T and C McC (if he sticks at PG) ahead of him.

….and yes, Connor will need to demonstrate he has more than blind squirrel skills at shooting before he can really be a shooting guard.

 

[KeyWest Tim]

Welcome to Iowa City.

Looks solid.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Move CMac to the 3. He can backup Joe W. His guard shooting skills, along with his defensive abilities on quicker guards is just not there, nor will it ever be... Another ballhandler/passer down low would not hurt.

Can you name any good freshman defensive guards?

Connor is a good player. The negativity towards him with THREE YEARS LEFT TO PLAY is bordering on brutal.

 

[33hawkfan]

STFU

Make me bro

 

[owenhawk]

Can you name any good freshman defensive guards?

Connor is a good player. The negativity towards him with THREE YEARS LEFT TO OKAY is bordering on brutal.

He was a more consistent defensive player then the two starting guards last year.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

Nice first pick up for the class.

Kid is a hard worker. I like it.

Foster next.