The 2026 recruiting class didn't go well for Mark Pope, but he did end up with one player that Kentucky fans are really excited about. That player is point guard Mason Williams. He is the son of former NBA Champion Mo Williams, who is now on Pope's coaching staff.
One interesting thing about Williams is that he was ranked outside of the top 100 in the 2026 class, so Big Blue Nation didn't expect him to see the floor much as a true freshman. Many believed that after a year in the program, he would find some playing time, but Williams has developed a lot faster than most fans would have anticipated.
Freshman MW first guy out on the floor for final practice of summer. pic.twitter.com/Al3lfwJxis
– Mark Pope (@CoachMarkPope) August 6, 2026
Over the summer, for Pope and the Wildcats, Williams was the surprise. He proved this summer that it won't be possible to keep him off the floor as a true freshman. Williams is a player who can run the point guard position at an elite level. The other underrated part of Williams's game is his ability to shoot the three. He took down Milan Momcilovic in a three-point shooting contest this summer in practice, and this was when BBN fully bought into the hype.
Knowing that Mason's dad, Mo, was a really good player in the NBA for a long time, Kentucky fans hoped that he would develop into a serviceable player during his time in Lexington. Everyone felt it was a matter of when, not if, Williams would reach his potential, but no one would have expected it to be this soon.
Welcome to your Kentucky home, @MaseWill5pic.twitter.com/tPGK6K2tce
– Kentucky Men's Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) June 5, 2026
Williams will be competing for minutes with Jerone Morton, who also had a really good summer. Knowing that point guard depth was a concern for Pope and the Wildcats, it is great that now both Williams and Morton have played well. This has given Kentucky fans more confidence in this backcourt with the season just over a month away from starting.
We are in the middle of the talking season for college basketball, where a lot of preseason lists come out. I have seen a lot of lists talking about the top impact freshman in college basketball, and there is no mention of Williams. The 6'2 point guard is going to be an under-the-radar player in college basketball this season, but he is going to turn heads quickly into the season. A big freshman season is coming up for the coach's kid, Mason Williams.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kentucky as Kentucky's Mark Pope has one of the most underrated freshmen in college basketball .