Mikey Williams, Memphis basketball signee who was one of nation's ...
Memphis basketball signee and top-20 recruit Mikey Williams was arrested Thursday on felony weapon charges in his hometown of San Diego, the San Diego Sheriff's department confirmed to CBS8 News on Friday. Williams, one of the best guard prospects in the 2023 recruiting class and a social media star with millions of followers across multiple platforms was released in the early morning hours Friday on $50,000 bail.
Williams was booked on five counts of assault with a deadly weapon using a firearm, though the department's lieutenant, Gavin Lanning, told ESPN that he will likely face one charge: assaulting someone with a firearm.
Memphis released a statement Friday on Williams' arrest, saying only that the school was "aware of the situation and are gathering more information."
The Instagram account belonging to Williams, which had amassed millions of followers through the years as he's gained popularity as one of the most followed basketball prospects in the country, was deactivated early Friday. His Twitter account remained active as of Friday afternoon.
Neither Williams nor his representation have commented on the charges, and the circumstances surrounding the incident at this time remain unclear.
In 2020 Williams was rated as the No. 2 prospect in the 2023 class of 247Sports' recruiting rankings for the class, and he has maintained blue-chip status as a top-20 talent ever since. Now ranked as the No. 17 overall prospect in the class by 247Sports and the No. 4 player at his position, he chose Memphis and signed with the school last fall over reported offers from Kansas, Arkansas and other pro options.
Memphis has a top-10 recruiting class signed for the 2023 cycle headlined by Williams, who is the highest-rated signee of the six-man class. It currently ranks No. 9 at 247Sports nationally and No. 1 among AAC programs.