Former NBA player and current Kentucky assistant coach Mo Williams has been self-reported by his school to the NCAA for recruiting violations this week. Having just arrived at Lexington for his new job, Williams made some comments about Tyran Stokes on social media that violated NCAA rules.
Stokes is the top recruit in the nation for the 2026 class. The five-star recruit commented on X, announcing the day, time, and network on which he would reveal which school he would play college basketball for. To this, Mo Williams replied:
“Let’s gooooooooooooo,” wrote Williams a mere 14 minutes after the original tweet was posted.
The comment was made just two weeks after the Kentucky Wildcats hired Williams. According to the Kentucky rules violation report, the coaching staff was made aware of the violation almost immediatly, and the comment was deleted in minutes.
According to Kentucky, Mo Williams was under the mistaken impression that coaches could comment on recruits’ posts, but NCAA rules only allow athletic staff to repost recruits’ publications until they sign the financial aid package.
Mark Pope’s comments on adding Mo Williams to his coaching staff
On April 13, the University of Kentucky announced the hiring of Mo Williams as an assistant coach for the Wildcats basketball program. With the announcement came the following statement by Mark Pope:
“Mo brings a level of toughness, experience and authenticity that our players will immediately connect with,” Pope said. “He’s been where they want to go, and he understands what it takes to get there. Beyond that, he’s a teacher of the game and a hard-nose competitor. I’m excited to have him and can’t wait to see the impact he’ll have on our program.”
Williams’s own statement was much shorter and to the point:
“I am excited to be joining the Big Blue Nation family,” Williams said. “I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity and I’m extremely grateful.”
Mo Williams spent the last four seasons as the head coach of the Jackson State Tigers. He led them to a losing 56-74 record, although they did have a positive conference mark of 47-25. This was his second head coaching gig, having spent two seasons as the coach of the Alabama State Hornets, with equally poor results.
Also Read:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
