Memphis basketball signee Mikey Williams pleads guilty to felony in connection to March shooting

Mikey Williams, a Memphis basketball signee, entered a guilty plea Thursday in connection to a shooting that occurred outside his California home earlier this year, according to multiple reports.

Williams, 19, pleaded guilty to one felony count of making criminal threats, attorney Randy Grossman (a member of Williams' legal team) told The Commercial Appeal. The charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor upon sentencing (which is set for Aug. 12, 2024) if Williams completes and adheres to a host of conditions.

As part of his guilty plea, he will need to complete anger management and gun-safety courses, as well as 80 hours of community service, before his sentencing date. Any criminal offense (outside of a minor traffic violation) could invalidate the deal.

“He plead guilty and has accepted responsibility for what took place on that fateful night,” Grossman said. “He regrets some of the actions he took. What he has said is he wants to make amends for that. He wants to get back to, hopefully, being a positive role model. To earn the trust of those people who’ve been disappointed.”

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In a video posted by Overtime on social media Thursday, Williams said he feels good.

"All glory to God," he said. "I'm just happy I made it out this situation. I'm just excited to get back to the (basketball) court."

It is unclear whether Williams will join the Memphis basketball team this season. In September, the Memphis athletic department announced Williams would not be permitted to be part of the team as long as his legal issues remained unresolved. In a statement on Sept. 27, the athletic department said it would "assess and determine his status with the team" once the legal process had run its course. The release also stated Williams is enrolled in online classes and would remain on the team's roster.

“(But) there’s nothing that says, ‘If it’s a felony, you’re out,’” Grossman said. “There’s also nothing saying, ‘If it’s a misdemeanor, you can play.’ So, we shall see. From my position, (Williams is) certainly free. There are no prohibitions against traveling to Tennessee or any types of things like that.”

Williams' trial had been set to begin Dec. 14.

Williams was facing nine felony charges stemming from a March 27 shooting. Upon his arrest in April, San Diego County authorities said an argument inside Williams' home escalated when gunshots were fired toward a car as it was driven away with six people inside. The car was hit, but no one inside was injured.

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Williams pleaded not guilty to all of the initial charges.

Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway has voiced continued support for Williams since his arrest.

Grossman said he and Williams' legal team worked hard to target a date prior to the University of Memphis' 2024 fall semester.

“They wanted to put it off a year to make sure he wouldn’t get in any more trouble,” said Grossman. “(But) we talked to them and said, ‘School starts in late August. Let’s do the sentencing in August.’ So, I give a lot of credit to the District Attorney’s office here in San Diego. They worked collaboratively to fashion a resolution that would allow for a pathway for Mikey to return to the basketball court.”

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Mikey Williams, Memphis basketball signee, enters felony plea deal