Mark Pope recently appeared on Kentucky Sports Radio and was interviewed by Matt Jones. We received tons of noteworthy insights from the interview, but he also highlighted a guy on this upcoming roster when asked how the team was looking in summer workouts.
“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,” said Pope. 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.”
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Overall, those are the things you want to hear about the team at this point, some cliché things, but some are necessary things that this fanbase was hoping to hear.
Big Blue Nation has some curiosity about the players, specifically, though, who is standing out?
Mason Williams
When asked about freshman point guard Mason Williams standing out in summer workouts, Pope had this to say:
“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.”
One of the many talking points among the fanbase this offseason has been the backcourt of Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins, two elite creators on offense, but Williams has not been given the respect he seems to deserve. There is a clear role for him as a backup point guard on this team right away. Get in there, shoot when open, take care of the ball, and steady the ship while the starters are out.
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Williams was a 4-star guard from Tennessee Collegiate Academy in Millington, Tennessee, and committed to Kentucky on March 27. His Father, Mo Williams, joined the staff three days after his son committed to Kentucky. Some fans speculated that Kentucky just picked up his son to get him on staff, but the incoming guard looks like he may very well crack the rotation this year.
It’s no secret that junior forward Trent Noah shined bright in offseason workouts last year but failed to live up to that promise once the games got real.
When asked if Noah is finally taking the next step in his development, here is what Pope had to say:
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“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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