Kentucky Basketball struggled at point guard last season because of injuries and roster construction. Mark Pope addressed that by adding a wealth of playmakers. One of them is seeing his stock rise, while the other seems stuck in neutral.
Coming into the year, Zoom Diallo was set to be Kentucky’s PG1. But the bugaboo has been his inconsistency with the ball. For his career, Diallo is averaging 1.5 assists to every 1 turnover. That has continued into the exhibition season so far, with Zoom turning
over 6 times to just 8 assists.
Meanwhile, freshman Mason Williams has been a much steadier influence on the ball, turning it over just once in the two exhibitions so far. Some of that is because Alex Wilkins takes a lot of the point duties when Zoom hits the bench, but it’s also because he has been much more secure in his passing.
Zoom’s defense has been solid, but Mason Williams has been terrific in the passing lanes with 4 steals so far. To see a freshman have such a calming presence on the team is huge. Coming down the stretch against the Red Raiders, Mason was on the floor with Alex Wilkins while Zoom was on the bench.
Looking at the two side by side, you can see Williams making a lot of strides as Mark Pope figures out how he will distribute minutes to his guards.
Game-by-game comparison
Look at the two guys side by side:
Game 1: 69-49 win vs. Little Rock
Zoom Diallo- 26 minutes, 7 points, 3-for-7 from the field, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 turnovers
Mason Williams- 20 minutes, 1o points, 4-for-5 from the field, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 turnover.
Game 2: 76-65 win vs. Texas Tech
Zoom Diallo- 22 minutes, 7 points, 3-for-5 from the field, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal
Mason Williams- 27 minutes, 14 points, 5-for-8 from the field, 2 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 1 steal
Diallo has plenty of time to right the ship, but for now I would love to see more Mason Williams. What say you, BBN?
