Kam Williams' defense was a big part of Kentucky's win over Indiana. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kam Williams’ play against Indiana did not get a lot of attention with the return of Mo Dioubate and point guard Jaland Lowe getting his first extended play in about a month, too.
However, Williams was instrumental in Kentucky’s 72-60 victory over the Hoosiers.
He had nine points on 3-for-5 shooting, including 1-for-2 from 3-point range. He also had two rebounds and one blocked shot in his 24 minutes.
More importantly during his time on the court Kentucky was a plus 15 — the third best total of any UK player behind Lowe (24) and Dioubate (18).
The sophomore transfer from Tulane was brought to Kentucky in large part because of his 3-point shooting but he’s averaging just 4.6 points and 18.5 minutes per game. He’s hitting 40.8 percent from the field but only 21.2 percent from 3-point range.
The good thing about Williams, though, is that he’s finding other ways to help UK win while his shooting — he hit 41 percent from 3 at Tulane last year — is well below his own expectations.
“He’s been our best defensive player,” coach Mark Pope said Thursday. “He’s doing an unbelievable job on that side of the ball, and he’s getting more bold and more comfortable on the offensive side of the ball. He’s got a massive ceiling. We’re not even seeing the beginnings of what he can be.”
The 6-foot-8 Williams was being projected by some as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft when he transferred to UK because of his athleticism, 7-foot wingspan, size and shooting ability.
He’s in the top 75 percent nationally in defensive rebounding and 95th percentile nationally in block shot rate for wing players according to CBB analytics.
Pope is confident the offense is coming — and Saturday’s game in Atlanta would be a perfect time for Williams to make shots.
“He’s a guy who at any given moment could go on a tear and make 30 or 35 threes over the course of six games, right? It’s just who he is. All the numbers eventually work themselves out to kind of represent who guys are as players, and he’s an elite-level shooter,” Williams said.
“He was before he got here, and he’s going to be when he leaves here, and he’s going to be while he’s here.”
That’s the optimistic Mark Pope at his best. He believes not only in Williams but all his players and despite UK’s rough start, Pope still thinks this can be a successful season.
“There’s a lot of guys on this team that I think are gonna look so much different as we progress through the season, and (Williams is) one of them,” Pope said. “I think he’s got a huge high ceiling. It’s just a matter of time and reps and belief and experience for him to get there, but he’s got so much to offer this game.”
