Mark Pope recently made an appearance on Kentucky Sports Radio, where Matt Jones conducted an interview with him. Throughout that conversation, Pope shared a number of interesting takeaways, but one topic that stood out was his assessment of a specific player on the upcoming roster when Jones asked about how summer workouts have been progressing.
“I like our gym. Our gym feels good. We set out with some very clear intentions as we worked through the portal trying to put this particular team together, and I think I like where we are,” Pope remarked. “I think we have a ton of creator vibe, and we’re seeing that on the practice floor, we’ve got a ton of length, a ton of shooting, and some really fun, different levels.”
At this stage, those are exactly the types of comments you’d hope for regarding the squad some of it sounds like coach-speak, but a good portion of it hits on specific qualities that this fanbase was eager to hear confirmed.
Still, Big Blue Nation is naturally curious about the individual players, especially when it comes to who’s turning heads.
Mason Williams
When the conversation turned to freshman point guard Mason Williams and whether he’s been making an impression during summer workouts, Pope offered this response:
“Mason has got to grow for sure, but he’s coming in with a college-ready body. And he is a voracious worker. He is just relentless in the gym. He’s shooting the ball at an elite level. He’s one of those guys right now that is a young player that I’m trying to get him to stop deferring, and actually go hunt possessions. He’s a great playmaker. He’s got to learn how to play us. He’s going to learn all the freshman stuff, but I’m telling you what, I have high hopes for him and his trajectory. I think he’s got a chance to be a very good player.”
A major talking point among supporters throughout the offseason has centered on the backcourt duo of Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins, both of whom are elite shot-creators offensively. Yet Williams hasn’t received the level of recognition that appears warranted. There’s a clear niche for him right away as a backup point guard on this roster come in, knock down open looks, protect the ball, and provide stability while the starters rest.
Williams, a 4-star guard out of Tennessee Collegiate Academy in Millington, Tennessee, gave his commitment to Kentucky on March 27. His father, Mo Williams, joined the coaching staff just three days after his son pledged to the Wildcats. Some fans speculated that the program only brought in the younger Williams as a way to land his father on the staff, but based on what’s being said, the incoming freshman looks like he could very well earn meaningful minutes this season.
Trent Noah
It’s no secret that junior forward Trent Noah generated plenty of buzz during offseason workouts last year, though he wasn’t able to carry that momentum into actual game action once the season tipped off.
When Pope was asked whether Noah is finally beginning to take that next step forward in his development, here’s what he had to say:
“Trent Noah man, he’s been the best player on our roster in the first four weeks of camp. He tweaked a hamstring, which is nothing, but he’s actually leading in the defensive impact metric right now on this roster. And the thing is, we talk about growing players, Trent is in his third year here. He is completely devoted and dedicated to Kentucky Basketball, and getting better, and we’ll see the fruits of that growth.
“It’s players like Trent Noah, and you watch them rise up, that you build a relationship over the years, he’s going to be really special this year. I am super proud of him. So he is going to have an impact on this roster for sure.”
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