Could Kentucky basketball have a surprise starter for the 2025-26 season?

Mark Pope and the Kentucky coaching staff did an incredible job of landing a ton of talent for the 2025-26 roster, which is why college basketball experts have the Wildcats ranked as a top ten team in the nation heading into the season.

Jaland Lowe, Otega Oweh, and Jayden Quaintance seem like the surefire starters on this roster, but there are some battles to be had this offseason for the rest of the roster.

There are still some starting spots up for grabs, and one of those will likely go to either Denzel Aberdeen, Jasper Johnson, Collin Chandler, or Kam Williams.

Many Kentucky fans, if they were asked to rank those players on the likeliness that they end up starting this season, would have Aberdeen and Johnson high on the list and Williams toward the back.

There is a world where Williams steals the show when this team begins to practice and finds his way into the starting lineup by the beginning of the season as a surprise starter.

Last season at Tulane, Williams showed flashes of greatness but was not utilized nearly enough. This year, thanks to his 6'8 frame and lights-out three-point shoot, he will fit right into the Pope offense.

Williams shot over 40% from three last season on 4.6 attempts as a true freshman, and this is why some NBA Mock Drafts have him listed as a first-round pick.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, Kam Williams is going to be one of the most underrated players in all of college basketball, and he has a real shot to work his way into Kentucky's starting five.