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Kentucky lands commitment from impact Drexel big man, first portal pickup for Mark Pope
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Kentucky has its first transfer portal commitment under Mark Pope.
Drexel big man Amari Williams has pledged to the Wildcats, his agent announced Sunday. Williams’ transfer commitment follows a recent visit to Lexington to check out UK campus.
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Drexel transfer F/C Amari Williams has committed to Kentucky, his agent @GeorgeLangberg of GSL Sports Group tells @thefieldof68. pic.twitter.com/6jPxi5aCzZ
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 21, 2024
Williams is coming off a historic 3-peat as the CAA’s Defensive Player of the Year. He posted 57 blocks on the 2023-24 season, including 6 against Old Dominion. He also logged 27 steals and 170 defensive rebounds this past season.
Listed at 6-10, 265, Williams is more than just a defender. He averaged 12.2 points per contest in 2023-24. He shot 51.7% from the field over the year, posting a season-high of 21 points against Monmouth in January. Williams averaged 1.9 assists and 7.8 total rebounds per outing this past season.
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Williams not an official addition just yet
Williams is committed to Kentucky, but his plans to be a Wildcat are not quite as firm as Big Blue Nation would like.
One of the quirks of the college basketball offseason is that players can be in the transfer portal while testing the NBA Draft waters. Williams is one of those players considering the draft while in the portal.
Williams has a deadline of May 29 to withdraw from the draft and be a Wildcat for the 2024-25 campaign. He has played in 105 games over 4 seasons, making 79 starts. The NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver allows him to play as a super senior in 2024-25.
Amari Williams — one of the top players in the transfer portal — is still exploring the NBA pre-draft process and has until May 29 to withdraw from the June draft. Williams is Mark Pope’s first recruit at Kentucky. https://t.co/pNvJHqs9MR
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2024
Cats fans can get a preview of what Williams could bring to Lexington by checking out his highlights in the video below:
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
