Kam Williams took a little bit to get going after joining Kentucky. The Tulane transfer averaged just 6 points and 2 rebounds a night in an injury-shortened season. But the flashes of brilliance were there, and he just announced he is coming back to Lexington. That should excite everyone in BBN.
Kentucky guard Kam Williams will return to the Wildcats next season, he told @On3.https://t.co/gTd6xsQWaO pic.twitter.com/c1RyT5qIuW
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 7, 2026
Kam's best night was unquestionably against Bellarmine, where he exploded for 26 points on 8-of-10 from deep. That was the shooting touch that Mark Pope had hoped would follow him from Tulane, where he shot 41% from deep. Too often that touch eluded him, he only managed 35 percent from 3 with Kentucky basketball. But the shot is there; now it is all about refinement and development.
And on a roster with a turnover that is a welcome thing.
Kentucky basketball is reloading once again
Mark Pope had a vision of signing a bunch of guys with two or more years of eligibility left. That plan was derailed by one of the worst win-loss records in Kentucky history. And a mass exodus followed as soon as the Transfer Portal opened. Right now, the Cats have lost 5 players who could have played in Lexington this season, with the possibility of 6 if Malachi Moreno stays in the NBA Draft.
Add in Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh, and the roster is going to look significantly different. The lone holdouts as far as future announcements are Trent Noah and Collin Chandler. The longer those two go on, the more likely it is that they will be jumping in the portal.
Whatever Chandler and Noah do, Williams will be in a great spot next season. He is almost assuredly going to be a starter; he has great length at 6'8 and can guard multiple spots defensively. If his shot gets back to around 40%, he could even be the best player on Kentucky's entire roster.
That is how good he can really be. All the tools are there, and he will be fully healthy after breaking his foot and coming back to finish the season. He will have a year in the system, and he will be familiar with how the SEC plays.
This is a big win for Pope on a day when he needed some good news.
Now, we wait for Collin Chandler and Trent Noah. Early rumors suggest a return for both, but it is far from a done deal. Everything can change with the Transfer Portal open, so bookmark our tracker as we update it as soon as news breaks.