Where does Memphis basketball stand now that Mikey Williams likely is out of the picture?
Mikey Williams might not ever play a single game in a Memphis basketball uniform.
We may never know if the combination of Williams' elite athleticism and coach Penny Hardaway's offensive philosophies would have become the stuff of legend. Whether Williams would have rendered the naysayers speechless by flourishing at the collegiate level. Whether the 19-year-old would have overcome his troubled recent past and endeared himself to an entire basketball-fanatical city.
On one hand, that's a shame. On the other, it's probably OK. Both sentiments are applicable under the circumstances.
On Monday, Williams' father, Mahlon, told The Commercial Appeal that Mikey — a 6-foot-3 guard who at times has been regarded as a can't-miss recruit — will be entering the transfer portal. Williams signed with Memphis in November 2022, but his track toward teaming up with the Tigers ahead of the 2023-24 season was interrupted in April 2023. That's when he was arrested following a March shooting outside his California mansion.
For months, Williams faced multiple felony gun charges, all of which he pleaded not guilty to. Then on Nov. 30, the multimillionaire and social media wunderkind reached a plea agreement. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of making criminal threats. According to the terms of the deal, if Williams avoids all trouble (other than minor traffic violations), the felony charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor.
Fast-forward five weeks, and Williams is, as Mahlon tells it, starting over.
"Just, all the circumstances that happened over the last nine months, we just decided we're gonna start this all over again," Mahlon said. "We're gonna see what the interest is like and take it from there."
Are Mikey Williams and Memphis officially done?
Although Monday's news might seem to be accompanied by a high level of finality, that's not necessarily the case.
It is relatively common for a player to take the step of entering the transfer portal, only to decide to stay put. Tigers senior Malcolm Dandridge did it last summer.
Mahlon Williams alluded to the possibility his son might eventually conclude that Memphis is where he wants to begin his collegiate career after all. When asked whether Mikey has his sights set on any specific outcome, Mahlon explained the rationale behind entering the portal.
“As of right now, we don’t know,” he said. “We’re just doing our due diligence.”
Hardaway voiced unwavering support for Williams throughout the well-publicized ordeal that kept him away from the Tigers as long as it has.
"I think this young man is, obviously, going through something," Hardaway said on Oct. 25, 2023. "He hasn't been found guilty of anything, so we just have to continue to support him."
The Memphis athletic department issued a prepared statement Monday afternoon addressing the situation.
“We can confirm Mikey Williams has chosen to enter the transfer portal," the statement read. "The University process for him to join the men’s basketball program was underway, but Williams elected to explore his options at this time.”
MIKEY WILLIAMS TRANSFER PORTAL: Why is Memphis basketball signee in the transfer portal? His father explains
What Mikey Williams news means for Memphis basketball
Williams very well might be worth the gamble. Although he has some extra off-court baggage attached to him, he also has some on-court knocks against him.
So if Williams and the Tigers are in fact going their separate ways, Hardaway's highly decorated recruiting track record should be enough to assuage even the most cynical of onlookers. He has proven every bit as adept at recruiting top-tier prep talent as he is mining the transfer portal.
Memphis will have holes to fill in the backcourt, as point guard Jahvon Quinerly and guard Caleb Mills will not be back next season. Jayhlon Young and Carl Cherenfant have eligibility remaining. The Tigers also have signed four-star 2-guard Jared Harris (Silsbee, Texas).
But the transfer portal will almost certainly present Hardaway with plenty of options to reload.
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: What Mikey Williams news means for Memphis basketball moving forward
