by LARRY VAUGHT
He ran the Mo Williams Academy where former UK stars Julius Randle and PJ Washington both played for him and they are both still playing in the NBA. He has spent the last six years as head coach at Alabama State and then Jackson State where he compiled a 69-109 overall record.
Williams’ son, Mason, a high school senior point guard, recently committed to play his college basketball at Kentucky for Mark Pope and Mo Williams is joining Pope’s staff as an assistant coach.
“When he was still playing in the NBA, he was also connected to a (Nike) EYBL team out of Dallas and he was recruiting my oldest son to play with that team,” said Greg Williams, the father of UK sophomore Kam Williams, said. “He was playing with the Minnesota and invited us to a game in New Orleans when they played the Pelicans and interacted with us after the game. He had a lot of his teammates come over and we met them.
“We stayed in touch even though my son did not play for that team. We have seen him at AAU tournaments with his sons. He was cool. He had this souped up van with satellite TV and all kinds of stuff. Now his son (Mason) is a big boy and ready to play for Kentucky.”
Greg Williams understands Mo Williams making the move to Kentucky and anticipates Kentucky fans liking him a lot.
“He’s a really great guy. He was a fantastic player and he can help guys develop. He was also always a great father and that’s the kind of person you want on your staff,” Greg Williams Sr. said. “He was a pro, so you know he knows how to play and can pass that on to players he’s coaching.”
He won’t be coaching guards Jaland Lowe and Jasper Johnson, who both plan to put their name in the transfer portal. That also still remains an option for Kam Williams.
