While much of the focus about Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team has been about the backcourt, the Cats also appear to have the ability to be strong in the frontcourt as well. A pair of skilled big men will hold down the center position for UK this season.
Brandon Garrison, a 6-10 sophomore, will be one of those players. Garrison played in 32 games at Oklahoma State last season, starting in 29 of them. The Oklahoma City native averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest while playing 22.7 minutes per game. Garrison was fifth in the Big 12 last season with 1.47 blocks per game and shot 58.9 percent from the field.
Drexel transfer Amari Williams will be the other half of the Wildcats’ one-two punch in the post this season. Williams is known for his defensive prowess, having earned the Coastal Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons. Williams led the CAA in blocks in all three of those seasons, and last year, he averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
Now, Garrison and Williams are together at Kentucky and they are working to make sure that the UK interior game is solid.
“It’s great, it’s getting both of us better,” Williams said of going against Garrison in practice. “He and I know that we can be one of the best frontcourts in the nation. So just keep battling each other, pushing each other every day is going to make us one of those.”
Garrison sang the praises of Williams and his defensive abilities, but also agrees that the two players make a nice combo.
“We’ve got Amari Williams, (defensive player of the year) I think it was three times. Just him bringing his physical presence, blocking shots. Then me behind him, blocking shots, defending the post, being able to switch and cover the guards.”
Williams believes that his instincts make him a really good defensive player.
“I feel like knowing when to go for steals, when to go for blocks, that has always helped me in the past,” Williams said. “Sometimes it gets the better of me but most of the time it doesn’t. I feel like that’s something that helps on the defensive end. Just knowing what the other team does, watching film and see what kind of passes they make, that’s the easiest way to go about it.”
The defensive portion of the interior seems to be covered, so what about the offensive skills of Garrison and Williams? Underrated might be the proper term. Williams believes that both he and Garrison are good at distributing the ball to others.
“I feel like we’re both good passers,” Williams said. “BG is a really good passer. People don’t really say that but I think he is. He’s physical and he’s not afraid to take on anyone. He’s always really good in the post and he can shoot, too. Having that kind of big to go against every day helps both of us.”
Garrison believes that both players have offensive skills that are still developing.
“We’ve been working on that every day,” Garrison said. “Me and Amari, I feel like we’re among the top passers in the country and we’re working on that jump shot.”
Garrison and Williams will look to be the one-two punch that Pope needs on the interior this season.
