Kam Williams’ job description at Kentucky sounded simple when he first said it out loud.
“Shoot 3s and play defense.”
That’s how the sophomore guard summarized his role after Kentucky’s 99–85 win over Bellarmine, a game in which he drilled eight of his 10 attempts from deep and poured in a career-high 26 points. But as Williams was quick to admit, it’s never quite that simple.
“Really, just come out here and play basketball,” he said.
For Mark Pope’s Wildcats, though, the first two parts matter a great deal. And if Williams can consistently be that 3-and-D presence — the long, athletic wing who spaces the floor and locks in defensively — Kentucky’s ceiling rises significantly as SEC play arrives. That version of Williams is finally starting to show itself.
From Early Struggles to Sudden Surge
The beginning of Williams’ Kentucky career was anything but smooth. Despite shooting 41.2% from three as a freshman at Tulane and arriving in Lexington with NBA draft buzz from national analysts, the shots simply wouldn’t fall early on.
Through Kentucky’s first 10 games, Williams was just 6-for-31 from beyond the arc — a staggering 19.4%. His confidence wavered, and his role shrank. Pope challenged him publicly and privately to bring consistent intensity, especially on the defensive end. At one point, Williams didn’t play a single minute in the first half against North Carolina Central.
What stood out wasn’t the benching — it was the response. Instead of sulking, Williams became Kentucky’s loudest supporter for 20 minutes. Pope rewarded him with extended run in the second half, then later revealed that Williams followed it up with his best practice since arriving at UK.
Momentum slowly followed. He scored nine points in 24 minutes against Indiana — both season highs versus a high-major opponent. A week later, he buried two massive three-pointers in Kentucky’s comeback win over St. John’s. Then came Bellarmine, where Williams put together one of the most efficient long-range shooting performances Rupp Arena has seen.
Over his last three games, he’s 11-for-17 from three. That’s 64.7%.
Confidence, Trust, and Stephen Curry
Williams never stopped believing the shots would fall.
“Just keep shooting,” he said before the Bellarmine game. “You can’t say, ‘Oh, I’m not making shots, so I’m gonna stop shooting.’ That’s not how it works.
His favorite player is Stephen Curry, a reminder that even the greatest shooters miss — and keep firing anyway.
“And he misses a lot of shots, too,” Williams said. “But he’s gonna keep shooting.
That confidence was reinforced daily by Pope, even when the numbers looked ugly. Before the St. John’s game — when Williams was shooting just 21.2% from deep — Pope brushed aside concerns.
“He’s an elite-level shooter,” Pope said. “He was before he got here. He’s going to be when he leaves here, and he’s going to be while he’s here.”
Since that statement, Williams is 10-for-15 from long range.
Slowing Down and Letting the Game Come
Part of the early issue, Williams admitted, was rushing. The step up in competition felt real, and he tried to speed through it.
“I gotta realize that I’m 6-8,” he said. “A lot of people are not gonna block my shot.”
As his comfort level has grown, so has his patience. Better ball movement, cleaner looks, and — when available — playing alongside point guard Jaland Lowe have helped. Lowe’s speed in transition created both of Williams’ three-pointers against St. John’s, and Bellarmine’s zone defense gave him the space he needed to let it fly.
The challenge now is sustaining that production against elite competition. SEC play opens Saturday at Alabama, and Kentucky has shot just 23.9% from three against high-major opponents so far.
Defense Is the Constant
When the shots inevitably cool again, Williams knows exactly what will keep him on the floor: defense.
“If you’re a ‘shooter’ and you’re not making shots, you gotta find other ways to affect the game,” he said.
Even during his offensive struggles, Williams has been one of Kentucky’s best defenders — a fact Pope has repeatedly emphasized. His size, athleticism, quick reactions, and instincts make him disruptive on the perimeter, especially alongside high-energy teammates like Otega Oweh, Mouhamed Dioubate, and Jayden Quaintance.
“I mean, he’s been our best defensive player,” Pope said. “He’s got a massive ceiling. We’re not even seeing the beginnings of what he can be.”
Becoming a Difference-Maker
In the last two games, Kentucky has seen exactly why it stayed patient. Williams has stretched defenses, swung momentum, and shown he can be one of the Wildcats’ most important players — not just a role guy, but a tone-setter. And he’s doing it when Kentucky needs answers heading into the grind of conference play.
“I’m not a perfect player,” Williams said. “But having a staff and team and a crowd that still supports you through thick and thin, it makes me play my hardest every chance I get.”
Kam Williams is finally heating up. For Kentucky, that could change everything.
