Kentucky **Wildcats ramp up recruiting push** for 4-star 2026 power forward **Cam Williams**, spearheaded by head coach **Mark Pope** and assistant coach **Jason Hart**. After closely evaluating his game this summer, UK has intensified contact as live recruiting heats up.
### 🔍 Recruiting Momentum on Cam Williams
**Cam Williams**, a 6‑foot‑11 forward from St. Mary’s (Phoenix, AZ), currently ranks No. 16 nationally in the 2026 class according to On3, making him a prized target for Kentucky.
At the **adidas 3SSB Circuit**, Kentucky’s coaching duo — Pope and Hart — watched Williams multiple times and initiated deeper communication. Williams confirmed to KSR that he spoke by phone and FaceTime with Pope recently:
> “It’s good, it’s starting to pick up. A couple days ago, I talked to Coach Mark Pope … we just had a good talk … got to know each other.”([on3.com][1])
Hart was reportedly the first Georgia-based staff member to reach out at the event, building early rapport with Williams and his family. Since then, Kentucky engagement has steadily grown.([on3.com][1])
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### 🏀 How Williams Views Kentucky
Williams has yet to receive an official offer from Kentucky—making UK one of the few national programs still pending—but interest is clearly mounting.([A Sea Of Blue][2])
When discussing Kentucky’s appeal, Williams spoke favorably about the program’s reputation for developing NBA talent and his impression of Coach Pope:
> “I like how they’re known for putting players in the league … They’re obviously one of the best programs in the country. I like Coach Pope … it seems like a great situation that I’d like to be a part of.”([on3.com][3])
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### 🇺🇸 Kentucky on the Recruiting Trail
Kentucky’s approach aligns with its strategy throughout the 2026 cycle. As the July live period unfolds, the program has been actively visiting and evaluating top prospects:
* In **April**, Pope, Hart, and assistant Cody Fueger conducted in-home visits with high school standout **Tay Kinney**, and five-star guard **Caleb Holt**, signaling deep investment across positions.([A Sea Of Blue][4])
* At **adidas 3SSB** and **EYBL Session IV**, coaches have been traversing both gym floors to monitor prospects and identify emerging names like Williams.([SI][5])
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### 📝 Why Williams Matters for UK
1. **Elite size and mobility**: At 6‑11, Williams can play in space but also protect the rim—an ideal fit for Kentucky’s modern, positionless system.
2. **Untapped recruitment level**: As a high-energy four-star still without UK’s official offer, he represents high upside as a potential sleeper target.
3. **Program-building alignment**: A program unmistakably focused on long-term roster construction, Kentucky wants to establish early relationships—building toward future NCAA and NBA success.
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### 🧭 What Comes Next
Williams has official visits scheduled in **September and October**, with stops at Purdue, Texas, Duke, and USC. Kentucky hasn’t yet locked in a visit but has discussed hosting him in Lexington in the coming months. Williams plans to make his college decision in **spring of his senior year**, after final evaluation of options.([on3.com][1])
Meanwhile, Kentucky’s staff continues to spread its recruitment scope beyond Williams—maintaining top-level contact with other key prospects like **Tay Kinney**, **Caleb Holt**, and rising guard **Jason Crowe Jr.**, whose recruitment is especially influenced by a strong personal connection with coach Jason Hart.([A Sea Of Blue][6])
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### 📌 Bottom Line
Kentucky has added **Cam Williams** to its 2026 big board and is actively building momentum. Though no offer has been extended yet, sustained conversations led by Pope and Hart suggest UK is positioning itself to make a late-season push. With top-tier size, elite athleticism, and a timeline that extends into spring, Williams is increasingly a name to watch in Lexington’s long-range vision for building its next recruiting class.