Mikey Williams was supposed to be a future NBA star after impressing early in his high school career. Unfortunately, those dreams may be over now that the University of Memphis commit has been charged with six felony counts of discharging a gun at an occupied vehicle and ordered to face trial for his actions. He faces a maximum of 28 years in prison on the current six felony counts.
The Memphis Tigers issued a statement two weeks ago about the current legal situation for one of their top commits this season.
“While Mikey Williams … remains on the roster. He will not have access to team-related facilities or activities until his pending legal process in California is complete. The process to assess and determine his status with the team will be initiated at that time.”
With the Tigers’ practice already underway and the season beginning on November 5, it’s unlikely Williams will be joining the roster anytime soon. He will be attending online classes over this period but will not have access to any facilities or his teammates. His trial date will be set on October 24 at his next court hearing.
Mikey Williams Had A Bright Future Ahead Of Him
Mikey Williams was one of the top prospects of the high school class of 2023 for years, often being compared to Bronny James early in his career. LeBron James has posted about Mikey’s on-court game before, with Williams getting the eyes of some of the biggest celebrities. He was a high school basketball sensation as early as his freshman season, but his development started stalling.
He was ranked as a four-star recruit, still an elite prospect who would get a Division 1 scholarship with ease. But he didn’t live up to the billing of one of the best high school prospects in the country by the time he graduated. He committed to play for Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers last year but his arrival on the team is going to inevitably be delayed because of his legal troubles.
Unless the court deems Williams innocent and doesn’t hand down a prison sentence, his basketball career will be heavily altered. If years of his prime developmental years are to be spent behind jail bars, he’ll likely never fulfill his NBA dreams. His fame clearly affected him adversely, as he stopped progressing as a player on the court and found himself in situations like this.
Overcoming Legal Troubles And Making The League Is Possible
Provided Williams is found not guilty, he still has a pathway to making it to the NBA. He’s still 19 years old and already has a college that hasn’t terminated his scholarship just yet. If he’s sent to prison, he likely doesn’t get a chance again. But if he is found innocent on a technicality, there will be people giving him opportunities based on his talent alone.
The 2023 Draft No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller was an accessory to a murder but that didn’t impact his draft stock like people thought it would. If you’re talented, doors keep opening for you. But a prison sentence will be hard to overcome. This isn’t even factoring in the possibility of 28 years, which kills any basketball drams Mikey has. Even a five-year sentence would be the death blow for any NBA aspirations.
His story will be a cautionary tale that coaches will tell their high school squad. Talent is rare and squandering it away is easy, so players must be more cautious than ever to protect themselves.
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