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Mikey Williams’ basketball journey could easily be the plot of a sports drama. His father, Mahlon Williams, was a standout high school basketball player, while his mother, Charisse Williams, excelled in softball at Hampton University. So, when young Mikey first picked up a basketball, he had the best coaches right at home. Although Mahlon’s own career didn’t extend beyond high school, he was determined to guide his son toward becoming a star athlete. In a 2020 interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Mahlon said, “God didn’t want me to be a pro player; He wanted me to train future pros.” As it turned out, Mahlon was onto something.
Mikey’s teenage years were filled with impressive achievements. He first gained attention playing for the Malcolm Thomas All-Stars travel team in middle school, where his talent quickly drew praise from both fans and seasoned athletes. Sade Wiley-Gatewood, a former NCAA Division I player, told NBC 7, “He’s unbelievable! He is top-notch, one of the best players I’ve seen so far.” By the time Mikey was in seventh grade, he was ranked the No.1 player in the country for the class of 2023.
At just 14, Mikey had already become a bit of a celebrity. The attention was overwhelming, to the point where he admitted to Slam magazine, “I don’t even go to the mall anymore. Sometimes I just want to chill.” Unfortunately, Mikey’s rapid rise to fame was soon followed by an equally swift downfall.
After finishing elementary school, Mikey joined the San Ysidro High School basketball team, where he made a significant impact, leading the team to the CIF-San Diego Section Division III title. By the end of his freshman year, he broke the CIF-SDS single-game scoring record, averaging 30 points per game. That year, he was named National Freshman of the Year by MaxPreps. He later transferred to Lake Norman Christian High School for his sophomore year, continuing his basketball success before returning to San Diego for his senior year.
However, Mikey wasn’t just focused on basketball; he also had his sights set on building a presence on social media. In 2020, he partnered with Overtime, a sports media company, to produce a YouTube reality show about his life on and off the court. On Instagram, he shared glimpses of his life and his basketball skills, quickly amassing a huge following—hitting 1 million followers after posting a clip of himself performing a 360 behind-the-back dunk.
By the end of his freshman year, Mikey’s fame had spread far beyond the court, drawing the attention of celebrities like Drake and basketball legends such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Dwyane Wade, who all followed him on Instagram.
In a shocking turn of events, Mikey found himself in serious legal trouble in April 2023. He was arrested on six felony charges, including five counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of shooting at a car filled with people. The incident occurred on March 27, 2023, at his home in Jamul, California. What started as an argument after asking guests to leave quickly escalated. According to the sheriff’s report, as five people drove away, shots were fired at the car, which was hit, though no one was injured. Three of the car’s occupants were minors.
Mikey was taken to San Diego Central Jail but was released after posting a $50,000 bail. His lawyer, Troy P. Owens Jr., defended him, urging the public not to harass or threaten Mikey and maintaining his client’s innocence. Owens stated, “We are confident that the truth will come to light.”
Following his arrest, Mikey pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. The preliminary hearing, initially set for June 29, 2023, was postponed three times and finally took place in October 2023. Witnesses testified that they saw Mikey with a gun and heard him make threats, leading Judge Sherry M. Thompson-Taylor to order a trial. Although the prosecution sought to increase his bail to $500,000, the judge denied this request. Two weeks later, Mikey was arraigned on three additional felony charges, bringing the total to nine. He faced up to 30 years in prison.
In November 2023, Mikey reached a plea deal, pleading guilty to one felony count of making criminal threats in exchange for the dismissal of the other charges. He avoided jail time but was ordered to complete a gun safety course, attend anger management sessions, and perform 80 hours of community service. If he successfully completes these requirements and stays out of trouble, the felony could be reduced to a misdemeanor when he returns to court in August 2024.
The fallout from his legal troubles was swift. In July 2021, Mikey had signed a deal with Excel Sports Management to pursue lucrative name, image, and likeness (NIL) endorsements. Matt Davis, vice president of Excel Sports Management, told ESPN, “Mikey’s relevance around his peers in the basketball community is off the charts.” Later that year, Mikey signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Puma, becoming the first American high school basketball player to do so. He expressed his excitement, saying, “Puma really understands how to mix hoops and culture, two things I am passionate about.”
But in October 2023, amid the ongoing legal issues, Puma terminated their contract with Mikey. LaceClips, a fitness technology company that had signed him in 2021, also cut ties, with CEO Jonathan Nussbaum accusing Mikey of failing to meet his contractual obligations, saying, “He never did any of the social media he was supposed to do. He didn’t seem like he cared.”
Even before his legal troubles, a concerning sign emerged during Mikey’s high school years that impacted his college career. In June 2022, Mikey skipped the Section 7 Team Camp in Arizona, a key event attended by star athletes and college coaches. His absence surprised organizers, his teammates, and his coach, Terry Tucker. Although Mikey later signed with the University of Memphis Tigers, many believe missing this event hurt his chances with other top recruiters.
Mikey’s performance on the court also began to decline. Once considered one of the nation’s top high school players, he was notably absent from the roster for the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game. Despite this setback, University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway remained optimistic, saying, “It’s only making his chip (on his shoulder) be a boulder when he gets here to prove to everybody that he is who he is.”
In his senior year, Mikey’s team lost 13 games, and his ranking dropped to No. 71 on Rivals’ final ranking for the class of 2023. Coaches and teammates noticed a lack of focus, with Carlsbad High School coach Clark Allard telling Yahoo! Sports, “It felt like he was more into his persona than the actual season.”
By January 2024, Mikey’s career troubles reached a low point with news that he had left the Memphis Tigers without playing a single game. His lawyer explained that Mikey no longer felt like “a priority” to the team, which led to his departure.