Kam Williams is making sure Kentucky’s newcomers understand the kind of atmosphere they’re walking into at Rupp Arena.
After a season that didn’t go the way Kentucky basketball wanted, Big Blue Nation still filled the building every night. That kind of support is just part of the deal in Lexington, and Williams wants the new guys to grasp how different it feels when Rupp gets rolling.
Heading into his second year with the Wildcats, the forward has already seen the place at full volume. Now he’s passing that experience along to the incoming players so they know what to expect before they step on the floor.
“Mainly, I let them know about the fanbase and obviously during the games with how loud (Rupp Arena) really is,” Williams told UK Sports Network when asked about his message to the newcomers. “I told them that kind of arena is something that you'll never experience anywhere else.
They're gonna be like, 'Yeah, it's gonna be loud' but they really don't understand how loud it's gonna be, because I was one of those guys last year. They would say it would be louder in their games and I'm like, I've been in a lot of arena's. ...
The Purdue game (in Rupp Arena), it was different. They're gonna experience that soon.”
Williams isn’t the only reason there’s buzz around what Kentucky could look like next season. Mark Pope has a roster built to put the ball in the air and keep defenses scrambling. Pope wants Milan Momcilovic, the nation’s best three-point shooter, taking around 10 threes a game, while the team as a whole is expected to be near 30 attempts from deep.
That style should fit right into the kind of nights Rupp Arena is built for. Ball movement, cutting, and a steady stream of threes are all part of the plan, and Kentucky has the personnel to make it work.
Big Blue Nation showed up through the rough patches last season, even when the product on the floor wasn’t always easy to watch. Year one under Pope had its moments, but next season feels different because the roster fits the system much better. With creators in the backcourt, shooters on the perimeter, a versatile five-man, and depth to lean on, the Wildcats have plenty of pieces to make some noise.
And as that noise builds on the court, Williams is making sure his teammates are ready for the other kind too - the kind that comes from a packed, roaring Rupp Arena.
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