For all the ballooning that Kentucky's recruiting efforts have done this offseason - with zoom calls and reported visits galore - things all started a few weeks ago with the signing of freshman point guard Mason Williams. A four-star prospect, Williams has all the makings of the exact kind of traditional floor general that the Cats were missing last year.
Oh, and he's the son of former NBA All-Star Mo Williams, and was formerly committed to Jackson State, where his dad coached. That is, until the pair came to Kentucky in an apparent package deal. Mason, of course, will handle depth duties as he develops in Pope's offense. Mo, on the other hand, hit the recruiting trail as soon as he arrived.
In spite of Kentucky making his hiring as an assistant coach official today, Mo was spotted yesterday supporting a group of gone-viral Kentucky fans in Lexington. He's been on the road with Pope and the rest of their staff for weeks now; for fans in-tune, the announcement from UK Athletics came as no surprise.
Coach Williams' Timely Arrival
In that aforementioned announcement, Coach Mo chimed in on his new gig:
"“I am excited to be joining the Big Blue Nation family... I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity and I’m extremely grateful.”"
On the same day as Williams' hiring was technically made public, Kentucky's pursuit of Robert Wright III was referenced on the Field of 68 by Jeff Goodman, who said the guard is Lex-bound unless "they [Kentucky] screw this thing up."
Assuming the staff doesn't screw this thing up and Wright - who is visiting at the same time as No. 1 overall recruit Tyran Stokes - ends up in the blue and white, Williams' impact in his new position will gain a seriously strong reputation right off the bat.
Making An Immediate Impact
Of course, Wright isnt the only player of prominence that the Cats are in on, and Williams isn't the only coach recruiting him, but there's something to be said about the pull a former, notable NBA name has on young players.
Who wouldn't want to learn from, and play for, a guy who has succeeded on the highest level? What initially seemed like a potential "sign of the times" in numerous assistant coaches hitting the road may have been a blessing in disguise for a program that needed a fresh approach from the top-down.
BBN loves Mo already, and if he ends up assisting in a Wright commitment, among others? He may get a banner hung on a frat house with his name on it.
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