Kentucky's interest in 4-star 2026 PF Cam Williams "starting to pick up"

Kentucky men’s basketball is looking to land its first 2026 commitment, but there are plenty of options out there still regularly hearing from the Wildcats.

A new name to monitor is four-star power forward Cam Williams (no, not the Kam Williams already on Kentucky’s current roster). The 6-foot-11 prospect out of Arizona is considered the No. 16 overall rising high school senior in the country, according to On3. He spoke with KSR at the adidas 3SSB Championships in Rock Hill, SC, on Friday to talk about the Wildcats’ recent push in his recruitment.

“It’s good, it’s starting to pick up,” Williams said of his communication with UK. “Couple days ago, I talked to Coach Mark Pope over the phone, he FaceTimed me, and we just had a good talk, we got to know each other and he was telling me about Kentucky and all that stuff.”

“(Pope) wanted to see where my mindset was on recruiting and if I was still open,” Williams added. “He was just trying to get to know me and my family.”

I’ve become a BIG fan of Cam Williams (Compton Magic 17u) over the last few days.

The 6’11” forward moves so well for his size, has some explosive athleticism to add to his length, and passes the ball well both from the perimeter and in the post.

Love his two-way upside!

— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) July 12, 2025

Kentucky has not extended an offer to Williams (the only school he’s still considering yet to do so), but a connection is quickly forming. Pope, along with assistant coach Jason Hart, have been ramping up the contact since they watched Williams play in Iowa during the second 3SSB session back in May. Hart was the first one to speak with him, even talking with Williams’ coaches and parents, and their relationship has been growing ever since.

Pope has been paying extra close attention to Williams’ games in Rock Hill, SC, this week since college coaches were allowed in the gym starting Thursday. Suiting up for Compton Magic alongside top-five 2027 prospect Bruce Branch III — also a Kentucky target — Williams has noticed Pope watching from the baseline.

“It means a lot, you know?” Williams said of UK coaches coming to his games. “A lot of coaches are here for me, but the biggest thing for me is communication, and they’re starting to pick that up.”

As of right now, Williams has official visits locked in with Purdue, Texas, Duke, and Arizona for September and October. Southern California and North Carolina are also on his radar. A trip to Lexington has not been scheduled, but he says Kentucky coaches have talked about it happening down the road. Williams plans to take his recruitment into next spring with plans of making a decision after his senior season ends.

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