The son of an HBCU basketball coach has committed to play basketball at the University of Kentucky. Mason Williams, the son of current Jackson State coach and former NBA player Mo Williams, has announced his commitment to the Wildcats, per 247Sports. He is Mark Pope's first player commitment for the upcoming class of 2026. Initially, Mason committed to play for Jackson State under the leadership of his father.
This was similar to what his eldest brother, Mike Williams, did in 2024. However, he reopened his recruitment and made an official visit to the University of Kentucky this past week. Mason Williams' stock has risen for his play on the court, per 247Sports. He's the 109th overall recruit in the 2026 class and had a standout senior season for Tennessee Collegiate with Nike EYBL Scholastic. He averaged 15.4 points and four assists with the league this past season. He's viewed as the third-best player in Tennessee and the 12th-best point guard in the 2026 class.
Meanwhile, Jackson State had an up-and-down season. They finished the year 12-21 overall and 10-8 in conference. While they won their opening-round matchup against Grambling State in the SWAC tournament, they lost to Florida A&M 70-60. Florida A&M and Jackson State shared a commonality, as the Rattlers are now coached by former NBA player Charlie Ward. Ward joined Williams and Bethune-Cookman's Reggie Theus as NBA alumni.
Now, Mo Williams looks to rebuild his roster to remain competitive in a conference filled with skilled players and talented coaches as the new season arrives this Fall.
