The Kentucky Wildcats are starting to arrive on campus as they will help usher in the new era of UK Basketball under Mark Pope.
The new staff had a lot of work to do which included filling out the complete roster with players from both the portal and the high school ranks. One of the first players to join the program under Coach Pope is Drexel transfer big-man Amari Williams.
Williams will arrive in Lexington in the coming days, but there was a brief moment that many in the BBN thought he would never make it to campus.
On May 1, Pope and Williams had a late-night meeting as the rumors circulated that a decommitment could be coming. However, in a recent conversation with Jacob Polacheck of KSR, Williams said he always planned to remain loyal in his commitment.
“I was not close at all to going anywhere, I wasn’t close to going anywhere. I knew where it was. My coaches knew I was going to stay,” Williams said. “It was just a matter of speaking to him and seeing where things were at. Even if he didn’t fly out to see me, that wouldn’t have changed my decision. I was already set on going to UK.”
Williams plans to play a key role for this upcoming roster, as the three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year looks to continue his dominance in Rupp Arena. He will be challenging Oklahoma State transfer Brandon Garrison for the starting center position.
However, even if Williams does not win the job, he’s still primed for a major role next season and should be a candidate for the SEC All-Defensive Team.
