LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball's 2024-25 roster added its newest piece in the form of Amari Williams on Tuesday. A 6-foot-10, 265-pound forward, Williams spent the past four seasons at Drexel.

Williams is the first transfer to commit to the Wildcats since Mark Pope became the program's new coach.

Though Williams averaged 10.3 points per game in his four seasons with the Dragons — 13.7 in 2022-23 and 12.2 last season — it's defensively where he truly has made his mark.

He's won the Coastal Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year Award each of the last three seasons. Those honors came on the heels of him leading the league in blocks per game each of those seasons: 2.0 in 2021-22, 2.2 in 2022-23 and 1.8 in 2023-24.

"At times, Amari Williams looks like a man among boys on the court," Pope said in a statement. "He is a three-time conference defensive player of the year, which is incredibly hard to do. He is bringing a big presence to the game and is going to serve as a rim-protector and rebounder. Amari is a gifted defensive player who can switch onto any position, one through five, which will add security to how everybody else feels on the court."

Pope pointed out Williams is "dangerous at the rim" offensively and praised his vision.

"He's one of the special passers in college basketball," Pope said. "Amari can make all of the reads, all of the passes, all of the plays and he fits into exactly what we want to do on either end of the court."

Amari Williams highlights: Watch Kentucky basketball transfer portal commit

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball adds Amari Williams via transfer portal