In a surprising turn of events, Mikey Williams announced that he will be transferring from Memphis to UCF. The former ESPN Top 100 recruit was expected to remain with the Tigers’ program after accepting a plea deal that will erase 8 felony charges from his record (he will only plead guilty to one felony count of making criminal threats), but his lawyer provided the public with some useful information regarding the sudden move. Troy Owens, who represented Williams in court in 2023, stated that the freshman guard elected to seek out a new college basketball landing spot because his situation was not a “priority” to the program.
Last March, Williams was involved in a shooting that occurred at his San Diego home and faced nine felony charges as a result. Allegedly, Williams is believed to have fired shots into a moving vehicle after an intense altercation inside his home escalated. Fortunately, there were no fatalities/life-threatening injuries to report, but it was evident that Williams’ freedom and basketball career were in serious jeopardy. By accepting a plea deal back in November, however, Williams’ felony charge will be downgraded to a misdemeanor charge if he follows the court’s orders to a tee.
During the 2024-25 college basketball season, UCF fans will get an opportunity to watch the 6-foot-3 combo guard make electric plays at the rim, find his touch from the perimeter and put his improved decision-making in ball-screen situations on full display. Williams, who was the 49th ranked recruit in the class of 2023, will likely receive big-time minutes from head coach Aubrey Dawkins from the jump, assuming he doesn’t allow another lapse of judgment to temporarily halt his progress on the court. Hopefully, Williams behaves himself during his free time moving forward and makes his collegiate debut next November.
