Kentucky is asking Amari Williams ‘to do everything right now’ as the big man continues to step up

Amari Williams is putting the term “positionless” to the test. How many seven-footers also fill in as a team’s floor general? That was the role he played on Saturday night in Austin. The result wasn’t what Williams or Kentucky wanted, but the Drexel transfer did nearly everything he could to give the Wildcats a shot at tasting victory.

Williams posted his eighth double-double of the season — and his sixth of SEC play — in Kentucky’s 82-78 loss to Texas. He finished with 18 points (6-10 FG), 12 rebounds (six on the offensive glass), three assists, one steal, and one block in his 27 minutes of action. The big man even hit nothing but net on his first made three-pointer of the season, which came late in the shot clock during the first half.

Head coach Mark Pope, down three key primary ball handlers against the Longhorns, needed a little bit of everything from the playmaking center. Williams was initiating the offense from the top of the key, taking it upon himself to score, dribbling the ball up the floor, fighting off opposing bigs for rebounds, and doing pretty much whatever Pope required.

And to Williams’ credit, he stepped up the challenge.

“We’re asking Amari to do everything right now,” Pope said on postgame radio. “And he’s doing amazing work. I’m really proud of him.”

It wasn’t a perfect night for Williams, who had a couple of poorly timed mistakes (and he was far from the only one) in the final four minutes. Most notably, missing an easy defensive rebound with less than two minutes in the game allowed Texas to tack on some significant second-chance points. That moment, under a massive microscope in a close game, was not his best. A 5-11 mark from the free throw line hurt too. There were a handful of possessions he tried to do too much in general.

But at the same time, can anyone blame him? Kentucky’s options are severely limited right now. Williams with the ball in his hands is the Wildcats’ most consistent source of offense. His 265-pound frame is a problem for anyone in his path and he’s learning more and more every game how to properly use it. Grabbing an extra defensive rebound or two in the closing minutes would have helped the ‘Cats, sure, but it’s hardly the reason for this loss.

Williams only appears to be getting better as the regular season inches to a close. He’s been putting together better performances in league games than he was against the nonconference foes. At this rate, he’ll be in contention for a spot on an All-SEC Team. He can’t do everything though. But until the roster is fully healthy, there isn’t much else Kentucky can turn to.

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