Undersized guards look to overachieve during NBA Summer League

In the NBA Summer League, where 349 players on 24 teams are scratching and clawing to get noticed by scouts and front-office officials, eight players stand out as the biggest underdogs of them all.

They’re the guys everyone whispers about during games, and not because they were lottery picks.

Instead, they’re the guys who are shorter than 6-feet and are trying to make it in a big man’s league.

“I’ve been small all my life,” said Ryan Boatright, an NCAA champion at Connecticut who is participating in his second consecutive summer league. “I’ve been playing with all these taller guys since I picked up a basketball. I went to a high major college, played at the highest level. I’ve played against pros, even in college, so it’s not difficult for me.”

It may not be difficult, but the 5-11, 175-pound Boatright, who’s playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, is one of many who believe the path to the NBA is much easier with some size.

“There’s a lot of guys in the league right now that I played in college and they couldn’t touch me,” he said. “But it’s about opportunity. The NBA is political. …

“It’s just the truth. If I knew (why), I’d be in the NBA. I don’t know. All I can do is work hard every day and wait on my opportunity.”

Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Ulis is probably the most high-profile undersized guard in this year’s summer league. The 5-10, 150-pounder, who was selected in the second round and 34th overall last month, has answered questions about his size since the very beginning.

But at every level, he’s proven himself much like the other seven guys participating in Las Vegas — Boatright, Atlanta’s Brandon Taylor (5-10), Cleveland’s Kay Felder (5-9), Miami’s Nic Moore (5-9), Portland’s Pierre Jackson (5-11), San Antonio’s Angel Rodriguez (5-11) and Washington’s D.J. Cooper (5-11).

As a sophomore at Kentucky last season, Ulis was named the Southeastern Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and was a consensus first-team All-American. However, the doubts still lingered.

He believes the 2014-15 Wildcats already prepared him for the NBA.

“My first year at Kentucky, there were four 7-footers and the point guard was 6-6,” Ulis said. “I played on a team that’s bigger than most NBA teams in general, so I’m pretty much used to it.”

The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year and last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Karl-Anthony Towns — a college teammate of Ulis — attended the summer league Sunday. He said his former point guard wouldn’t have any problems adjusting to the next level.

“He dealt with it his first year in college with me, (Sacramento Kings center) Willie Cauley-Stein and everyone,” Towns said. “Nothing is new to him with length. He’s always had to deal with length. His whole career has been dealing with people taller than him. The length won’t bother him.”

Even with those kind of endorsements, and the backing by his former coach, John Calipari, Ulis understands he needs to prove himself one more time.

“It means a lot for those guys to have my back,” Ulis said. “Because I go out there and give it my all. I feel like I’ve proven myself at the college level and high school level. But I have to do it again.”

Felder, who went 54th overall in this year’s draft out of Oakland University, will also have a similar battle in his rookie season with the Cavaliers.

“The Cavs took a big leap on me and I have to show them,” Felder said.

Boston’s Isaiah Thomas is the most notable undersized player in the NBA today.

At 5-9, he was selected to the All-Star game last season for the Celtics after averaging 22.2 points per game. Being the shortest active player in the NBA, he wants to see more guys like Ulis and Felder succeed.

After the Celtics-Bulls summer league game Saturday, Thomas said the biggest thing for small guys to learn is to seize their opportunity and just get after it.

“Don’t get comfortable,” Thomas added. “Don’t get complacent with where you’re at or getting drafted. Go for it all. Because if you don’t, they’ll pick somebody right over you.”

Said Boatright: “I support all little guys, man, because they don’t give us the opportunity that some of the 6-5 guys get.”

Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson