UNEXPECTED: A key player for Kentucky has embarked on a voluntary retirement, As he asserts .. .

Transfer of Drexel Amari Williams will always be remembered for being the first commitment of the Mark Pope era at Kentucky. However, he was also nearly recognized as Mark Pope’s first failure.

There were rumors that Williams was hesitant about his Kentucky pledge just hours before the transfer window formally closed, meaning no new names could enter. ‘Late-night meeting’ between Williams and his camp and Mark Pope was the outcome. “Amari Williams will stay committed to playing for Kentucky next season following a late-night meeting with head coach Mark Pope,” ESPN source Jonathan Givony stated in early May.

It was a huge moment for Pope and Kentucky at the time to make sure they retained what will be a crucial component of Pope’s first season in Lexington.

But recently, Williams went on record saying he ‘wasn’t close to going anywhere’ despite the rumors.

 

“I was not close at all to going anywhere, I wasn’t close to going anywhere. I knew where it was,” Williams told On3.com reporter Jacob Polacheck. “My coaches knew I was going to stay. It was just a matter of speaking to him and seeing where things were at. Even if he didn’t fly out to see me, that wouldn’t have changed my decision. I was already set on going to UK.”

It has been reported by a number of scouts and analysts that Williams is a “perfect fit” for Mark Pope’s system.

Throughout the season, the 230-pound, 6-foot-10 big averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He finished with eight double-doubles and ten games with ten or more rebounds. His most well-known attributes are his versatility in passing the ball offensively and his ability to protect the rim. Williams said On3.com, “A lot of people have talked about the offense Mark Pope runs.” It’s a passing bigs offense. That’s the play style that best suits me. Andrew Carr, a transfer from Wake Forest, Brandon Garrison, a transfer from Oklahoma State, and Fairleigh Dickinson’s Ansley Almonor make up Williams’ front court.

Pope remarked of Amari Williams, “At times, he looks like a man among boys on the court.” It is quite difficult to win conference defensive player of the year three times, yet he has. He will be a strong presence on the court and a rebounder as well as rim protector. “Amari is a gifted defensive player who can switch onto any position, one through five, which will add security to how everybody else feels on the court.”