Kam Williams hasn’t found his shooting stroke yet this season, but don’t let the cold numbers fool you - he’s still making a real impact for Kentucky. The sophomore wing, a transfer from Tulane, is proving that there’s more than one way to earn minutes in a high-level college basketball program. And right now, Williams is doing it with defense, effort, and a motor that doesn’t quit.
Through 11 games, Williams is averaging 4.6 points in 18.5 minutes per game, shooting 40.8 percent from the field and just 21.2 percent from beyond the arc. That last number stands out - and not in a good way - especially when you consider that he hit 41.2 percent of his threes last season at Tulane on nearly five attempts per game. So far, the long ball just hasn’t been there.
But here’s the thing: Williams isn’t letting that slump define his game. While the jumper is still trying to catch up, his defense has already arrived. Head coach Mark Pope didn’t hesitate when asked about Williams’ contributions on that end of the floor.
“He’s been our best defensive player,” Pope said in a recent press conference. “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.”
That’s high praise, and it’s backed up by the numbers. Williams, who stands 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, is grading out as one of the better defensive rebounders in the country - ranking in the 74th percentile nationally in defensive rebounding rate, according to CBB Analytics.
He’s also been a shot-blocking force from the wing, sitting in the 95th percentile in block rate. Those are rare tools for a perimeter player, and Williams is using them to full effect.
Kentucky’s two best defensive lineups this season - among groups that have logged at least 10 minutes together - both feature Williams. That’s not a coincidence. His length, athleticism, and instincts are giving the Wildcats a defensive edge, even when his offensive game is still finding its footing.
And it’s not like the offensive skillset disappeared - it’s just been inconsistent. While the three-point shot hasn’t fallen, Williams is 13-of-16 on two-point attempts this season, showing he can still score efficiently inside the arc. It’s the perimeter shooting that’s lagging behind, but Pope isn’t panicking.
He pointed out that this isn’t the first time Williams has gone through a shooting slump. Last season at Tulane, he had a mid-season stretch where he hit just 29 percent from deep over eight games. That’s still better than what he’s shooting now, but it’s a reminder that even good shooters go through rough patches.
“He’s a guy at any given moment [who] could go on a tear and make 30 or 35 threes over the course of six games, right? It’s just who he is,” Pope said.
“All the numbers eventually work themselves out to kind of represent who guys are as players, and he’s an elite-level shooter. 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 belief in Williams’ long-term upside is important, because the transition hasn’t been easy. His minutes are down from last season, and the jump from the AAC to the SEC - where Kentucky has already faced five top-25 opponents in its first 11 games - has been a steep learning curve.
The shots aren’t falling, and sometimes they’re not even close. But the tools are there, and the coaching staff knows it.
“It’s just growing. It’s a zig-zag process,” Pope said.
“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. 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, for sure.”
In other words: stay patient. Williams may not be lighting it up from deep right now, but he’s earning his stripes in other ways - the kind of ways that win games in March. And once the shot starts falling again, Kentucky could have a real two-way weapon on its hands.