Amari Williams (born January 28, 2002) is a British college basketball player who plays for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference. He previously played for the Drexel Dragons.
| No. 22 – Kentucky Wildcats | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Southeastern Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 28, 2002 |
| Nationality | British |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 262 lb (119 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Myerscough College (Preston, Lancashire) |
| College | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early life
editWilliams grew up in Nottingham, England and initially attended Trinity School, Nottingham.[1] He transferred to Myerscough College when he was 16 years old.[2] Williams primarily played football when growing up.[3]
College career
editWilliams began his college career with the Drexel Dragons. He was named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Defensive Player of the Year and third-team all-conference as a sophomore. Williams repeated as CAA Defensive Player of the Year and was named first-team all-conference while averaging 13.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game.[4] As a senior, Williams averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game and was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year for a third straight season.[5] After the end of the season, Williams decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020–2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the NCAA transfer portal.[6]
National team career
editWilliams has represented Great Britain in international competitions at the under-16, under-18, and under-20 levels.[8]
References
edit- ^ Malcolm, Rod (August 7, 2018). "Meet the six foot eight 16-year-old who's a rising star in the basketball world". Nottingham Post. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Simpson, Ariel (January 14, 2022). "Drexel basketball duo's bond stretches from across the pond". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Story, Mark (October 17, 2024). "Why a 7-foot Englishman could be the key to Mark Pope's first Kentucky men's basketball season". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Leuzzi, John (April 21, 2024). "Who is Amari Williams? Mark Pope, Kentucky basketball land Drexel star F, per reports". Courier Journal. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ "Drexel's Amari Williams earns third CAA Defensive Player Award". The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 7, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Gabriel, Kerith (March 12, 2024). "Drexel star forward Amari Williams to see what the NBA draft and NCAA transfer portal might offer". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Borzello, Jeff (April 21, 2024). "Agent: Drexel transfer Amari Williams commits to Kentucky". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ "Williams Selected to Represent Great Britain in World Cup Qualifiers". DrexelDragons.com. June 23, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2024.