Remember Kam Williams? Mark Pope talks about UK’s first transfer portal pickup
It might feel like ages ago, but Kentucky basketball’s first transfer portal addition of the spring has now been made official.
Way back on the morning of March 28 — while Mark Pope and the Wildcats were still competing in the NCAA Tournament — UK got a portal commitment from Kam Williams, a 6-foot-8 freshman wing who spent his first college season at Tulane.
On Friday evening, Kentucky officially announced the addition of Williams as part of UK’s 2025-26 team.
“Kam is a beautiful kid who is not only an elite-level shooter but also an elite 1-through-4 defender,” UK head coach Mark Pope said in a news release. “He has a ton of gravity to his game and has untapped athleticism that is going to make his ceiling really high.”
A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Williams averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game for the Green Wave last season. Williams started 28 times and played in all 33 of Tulane’s games. He shot 48.5% from the field and 41.2% on 3-pointers during his first college season.
Williams was selected for the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team.
Williams picked Kentucky over the likes of Arkansas, Baylor, Florida, Louisville, LSU, Southern California, Texas and Texas Tech from the transfer portal, according to ESPN.
Originally, Williams was a three-star recruit out of high school and the No. 178 national prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite.
“I really like this pickup for Kentucky — getting a late-blooming forward with all the tools and high upside,” 247Sports national basketball analyst Travis Branham told the Herald-Leader after Williams committed to UK. “He is continuing to gain more and more confidence and has the ability to defend multiple positions, and he’s continuing to grow as a shooter. He’ll fit in well with Kentucky’s offensive scheme and provide size and length on the defensive end.”
Kentucky has now formally announced all four of its transfer portal additions, so far, for the 2025-26 season. UK has released statements confirming the arrivals of former Alabama sophomore forward Mouhamed Dioubate, former Pittsburgh sophomore guard Jaland Lowe, former Arizona State freshman big man Jayden Quaintance and Williams.
Mark Pope assembles UK basketball roster for 2025-26 season
Pope is almost done putting together his second Kentucky basketball team.
Six players from the 2024-25 UK team are out of NCAA eligibility. Those players are Ansley Almonor, Koby Brea, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr, Jaxson Robinson and Amari Williams. Their college basketball careers are over.
Guard Kerr Kriisa is expected to get a sixth season of college eligibility due to his injury issues. But, he’s already committed to Cincinnati from Kentucky out of the transfer portal.
Players from the 2024-25 UK team who could return to the Wildcats next season are freshmen guards Collin Chandler and Travis Perry, freshman forward Trent Noah, sophomore center Brandon Garrison and junior guard Otega Oweh.
UK has six newcomers in the fold for next season. Four players are transfer portal pickups. Those players are Dioubate, Lowe, Quaintance and Williams.
Kentucky will also be bringing in high school recruits Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno, who recently won a Sweet 16 state championship with Georgetown’s Great Crossing High School. Moreno was a McDonald’s All-American this year. Both Johnson and Moreno are top-30 recruits nationally.
On Thursday night, top-30 guard Acaden Lewis decommitted from Kentucky.
Kentucky is also still involved in the recruitment of high school senior Nate Ament, a five-star power forward from Virginia. Ament is down to five schools in his college recruitment: Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and Tennessee.
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM.
