Pope's offense draws headlines, but Amari Williams says UK is 'underrated defensively'

Just between Amari Williams and Lamont Butler, new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has brought in five Defensive Player of the Year awards from their respective leagues to Lexington. Williams took home the honor three straight seasons in the CAA at Drexel while Butler was recognized as the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year by the media in 2022-23 and then the league’s coaches in 2023-24.

For all the talk about Pope’s offense, which by all accounts plans to feature 35 three-pointers per game and a pace that gets the ball across halfcourt within three seconds, what he’s brought to the table on defense is flying under the radar. Williams agrees.

“I think we’re underrated defensively for sure,” Williams told reporters on Thursday. “That’s something that people are kinda overlooking. Myself and Lamont, Defensive Player of the Years in our own conferences and then we got guys, even though they don’t have the awards, they’re still great defensively and still take pride in that.”

Williams figures to fill in as Kenucky’s starting center. Now listed at 7-foot, 265 pounds according to UK’s website, his size, physicality, and instincts make him a no-brainer to hold down the paint for the Wildcats. During his three DPOY seasons at Drexel, Williams averaged 2.0 blocks and 0.9 steals in only 23.7 minutes per outing.

Going from the CAA to the SEC will surely be an adjustment, but Williams is eager to embrace a higher level of physicality. In fact, that’s what he’s hoping for. The native of England said he wants to be even more physical this season than he was in previous years. He mentioned Otega Oweh and Brandon Garrison as other incredibly physical players on the roster with real defensive chops.

Williams prides himself on defense more than most — it’s not just player speak. It’s how he was able to make a mark in college early on and ultimately find his way to a Blue Blood like Kentucky. That, along with his playmaking skills, has allowed him to reach this point in his basketball career.

“My first two years (at Drexel), coming in as someone from England, I really had to find a way to find a role on the team,” Williams said. “Defending and being able to pass the ball at a high level, I feel like that’s a role I wanted to fit. From there you just build confidence, build trust from the coaches, and that’s what made me the player I am today.”

Offensively, Williams isn’t going to be expected to lead the team in points. He might not even be expected to finish in the top five. His bread and butter will be getting his teammates involved and setting devastating screens for the many shooters Pope has at his disposal. But while going through the NBA Draft process earlier this year, front office executives and scouts wanted to see an improved jumpshot.

Now don’t expect Williams to fire off multiple shots from deep every game, but it’s something to keep in mind. Kentucky has plenty of above-average shooters and he’s a combined 8-26 from long range as a college player, going just 1-3 this past season. Williams suddenly turning into an elite outside threat isn’t likely — just don’t be shocked if he tries it out early on in the 2024-25 season.

Regardless, he’s buying into the idea of Kentucky being a better-than-expected defensive unit. When you have five Defensive Player of the Year awards on the roster and two more talented defensive prospects in Oweh and Garrison, there’s no reason to believe Kentucky won’t find success on that end of the floor.

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