CHICAGO — Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis officially measured in at 5 feet 8¾ inches at the NBA Combine, a height that generally not associated with being a first-round draft pick. But Ulis has gained some hope watching Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas, who made his first All-Star team this season at 5-9.
“It’s very inspirational, because what he’s doing on the next level is crazy,” Ulis said. “It’s unbelievable. Nobody thought he would do it. He was the 60th pick in the draft. He talks about how he proves people wrong. He talks about it, he acknowledges it and I feel like it’s a great thing for me to see.”
When Ulis arrived at Kentucky he was generally viewed as a four-year player. But after having a key role as a freshman on the Wildcats’ team that started 38-0, as a sophomore this year he averaged 17 points and 7 assists and was named a first-team All-American. He is now viewed as a likely first-round choice.
When Ulis was a freshman, Thomas spoke with him at the request of Kentucky coach John Calipari . Ulis said Thomas told him he would always have to work harder than his opponents, and that it was important to stay confident and block out skeptics.
Although Thomas and Ulis are the same height, they are not the same player. Thomas is a more physical scorer, capable of absorbing blows and finishing seemingly impossible shots. Ulis is more of a distributor and a floor general. Still, Thomas’s success has resonated with Ulis.
“He’s an All-Star dropping 40 in the playoffs,” Ulis said. “He was the guy that actually took [the Celtics] to the playoffs, led them to the playoffs, so there’s really nothing you can tell him at this point. I always have confidence, but he’s adding to it. Seeing what he’s doing at that level shows me I can, too.”
Prospecting the bigs
The Celtics were scheduled to interview six more prospects Friday, a group highlighted by Utah center Jakob Poeltl, who is widely viewed as a top-10 pick.
“We had a really casual, like, a good interview,” Poeltl said. “I enjoyed my interview with the Celtics. I heard only good things about [coach] Brad Stevens. I think he’s a really good coach so I think that’d be great.”
Boston also spoke to Maryland big man Diamond Stone, who was well aware that the team held eight picks in the draft. He said the general message of the meeting was simple.
“They said, ‘We work hard in Boston. We need a good big man who can step out, hit the 3, the mid-range, low-post game, and has great touch,’ ” Stone said. “So that’s what I have to offer.”
The Celtics also met with 19-year-old Thon Maker, who lived in the Sudan and Australia and graduated from high school in Canada last spring. Maker, an intriguing 7-1 prospect whose draft hopes remain cloudy, said the Celtics have seen him play in AAU tournaments and in high school.
“The interview was about getting to know me as a person,” he said, “so they get to see the whole package.”
The Celtics also interviewed 6-9 Kansas freshman Cheick Diallo , who said that meeting Stevens in person was “kind of a big deal.”
Smart selection
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told the Globe on Thursday that Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who just completed his second NBA season, will be invited to join the USA Select Team this summer for a second time. The squad will scrimmage against Team USA as it prepares for the 2016 Rio Olympics in July in Las Vegas.
“He did well [last time],” Colangelo said. “He’s part of the program. We’d like to have him back. He’s a good young player.”
Smart, 22 also participated on the USA Under-19 and Under-18 teams, and Colangelo likes to encourage younger NBA and college players to become part of the Team USA program. Smart played 61 games during the regular season, averaging 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 27.3 minutes.
Gary Washburn of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.