Kentucky Wildcats center Amari Williams has been dominating on the court, but fans have noticed one thing – he doesn’t dunk the ball as much as expected. Williams averages 10.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while shooting a career-best 55.7% from the field.
So, what’s behind Williams’ limited dunks? According to him, it’s all about reading the opposing team’s big men. “The Illinois game, he was 7-2,” Williams said, referring to Illinois sophomore center Tomislav Ivisic. “So (I was) trying to figure out ways to go around him, or go through him. Dunking it over someone like that, it’s never going to be easy because of how physical he is.”
Williams also emphasized the importance of knowing the opposing team’s strategy. “Just knowing what kind of player you’re going up against. A lot of them are just going to jump right up to the rim,” he said. “At that point, dunking isn’t even going to be an option. Just kind of working around players like that, just knowing what they want to do.”
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope also weighed in on the issue, saying that Williams sometimes gets “sped up” and needs to slow down near the rim. “The one thing he would like to do is just slow down a little bit once he gets to the rim,” Pope said. “Kind of get his feet under him, and I think he will be able to do that.”
The Wildcats face off against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 on Friday, and Williams will likely face another tough defensive test. But with his improved ball-handling skills and ability to operate as an offensive hub, Williams remains a crucial part of Kentucky’s success.
