Mikey Williams went from being one of the biggest names in high school basketball to potentially facing 30 years in prison in just months. In popularity, he has been toe-to-toe with Bronny James, son of Lebron James, as he gained a following at such a young age. With Williams separating himself from the group in basketball, scoring 77 points in a game at the age of 14, Williams gained recognition from large basketball media companies such as Overtime and ESPN. Gaining such traction just added to the fire; however, as he became one of the first top recruits in the class of 2023 in his senior year and committed to the University of Memphis, 

This past spring took a wild turn for Williams as he would be arrested in April of 2023 and tagged with five counts of assault with a deadly weapon and a count of firing into a car with people inside. He will be facing up to 30 years if he is convicted guilty of his charges. The San Diego Sheriff’s Department reported that Wiliams fired the shots while the car was driving away with no injuries.  He immediately pleaded not guilty, although multiple witnesses had seen him with a weapon and threatening others, one even saying that Williams stated, “Y’all better leave before I kill all y’all.” Another witness also said that Williams stated, “Y’all better get to stepping or you’ll all leave with bullet holes.” Mikey’s attorneys are in defense, saying that a group of people showed up at his house and refused to leave. This case is ongoing, and time will only tell what will happen.

Williams is facing charges that heavily affect his lifeboat on and off the court. Colleges are already taking back their scholarship offers, and the University of Memphis stated that he will not be able to participate in any activities for the school if his case is still ongoing. His career and dreams could potentially be over even if he only walks away with a couple of charges on him, as it has been seen in the past that both NBA and college teams don’t want to take a risk on someone who isn’t reliable for their whole season. Players like Emoni Bates and LiAngelo Ball are prime examples of this, as they are bouncing on and off teams due to their criminal past. Unfortunately, Mikey Williams could go from being the next big thing to potentially being a convict.