Kentucky sophomore Kam Williams with NBA superstar Steph Curry. (Octagon Basketball Photo)
Kam Williams was not a “big name” transfer when he was the first addition to Kentucky coach Mark Pope’s 2025-26 roster after an impressive freshman season at Tulane.
However, the 6-foot-8 wing has become a hot name who has been projected already as a possible first round NBA Draft pick in 2026 and has drawn praise from Pope not only for his 3-point shooting but also his defense.
Williams spent part of his two-week break from UK in California working on his skills. First, he spent time with NBA legend Steph Curry at the Curry Camp and then he went to the Nike Skills Academy.
Octagon Basketball, which represents both Curry and Williams along with former UK player/NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo, helped arrange for Williams to learn from the NBA’s best long-range shooter.
Greg Williams calls his son “Chocolate Steph Curry” and knew it was a rare opportunity for his son, who shot 41.2 percent from 3 last season, to learn from Curry, a career 42 percent shooter from 3 in his 16-year NBA career.
“He’s on a lot of radars. Steph doesn’t just do that for anybody,” Greg Williams said. “We knew in advance Kam would get this opportunity. We just had to make the logistics work.
“Kam said Steph did everything full speed. No catch and shoot drills. Everything was movement. He was big on teaching you to keep moving at all times. It’s one thing to see him on TV but when you are right there with him Kam said it is non-stop action.
“It was the insights he gave Kam not just about basketball but also about life and enjoying all the moments he can. That is the GOAT working with Kam, so it was kind of crazy. But they actually hope to do it again.”
Greg Williams said his son was not intimidated working with Curry.
“Kam has been shooting all his life and once he gets locked in on the drill it’s not like you are there with Steph Curry but it was him against the drill and trying to do well and not focusing on who he was doing it with,” Greg Williams said.
Going straight to the Nike Skills Academy was “tiring” but Greg Williams said a lot of NBA scouts got to see his son and “his name is buzzing” with the right people.
“I met a lot of people, too, and made a lot of great connections,” Greg Williams said. “There were players from Arkansas, Florida and Purdue, guys he will be seeing during the season. There were some very talented players there that were chosen for their NBA potential so to be part of that was very special and good for him.”
