5-star CG Mikey Williams transferring home for senior season

Five-star guard Mikey Williams is headed back to California for his final season of high school basketball, according to multiple reports.

Williams is the No. 15 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also ranks as the nation’s No. 2 combo guard behind only Dajuan Wagner Jr.

He played this past season at Charlotte (N.C.) Vertical Academy, a new basketball program in Charlotte created by his father, Mahlon Williams. He’ll return to San Ysidro High School in San Diego, where he played his freshman season before moving to North Carolina. As a sophomore, he played for Huntersville (N.C.) Lake Norman Christian School.

Williams has been rumored as a prospect who could skip college altogether and join one of a handful of professional leagues before declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. He and his father told the Fayetteville Observer in February that the plan is for him to attend college for a year before entering the draft, though.

Mikey Williams has a massive On3 NIL Valuation

He released an initial top 10 list after his freshman season that included Arizona State, Kansas, Memphis, San Diego State, Southern Cal and five HBCUs: Alabama State, Durham-based North Carolina Central, Hampton, Tennessee State and Texas Southern. His recruitment has been largely silent since then, furthering rumors about him playing professional. He did, however, take an unofficial visit to USC in February.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Williams is one of the country’s most prolific scorers at the high school level. And he is one of the most recognizable prep prospects in recent memory. Last year, he became the first American high school basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with a global footwear company.

His multi-year deal with Puma at the age of 17 puts him on the same product team as other basketball stars like Breanna Stewart, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and LaMelo Ball. Williams has more than 5.9 million combined Instagram, TikTok and Twitter followers, which makes him one of the most marketable high school athletes in history. His On3 NIL Valuation of $2.6 million is the second-highest among all athletes at the collegiate or high school level, behind only Bronny James.

Scouting Summary

“Mikey Williams is a strong framed guard whose shot-making ability and athletic explosion have brought him viral success. He has a good handle and is able to get into his spots in the half-court. He has an array of step-backs and fadeaways that help to create space. HIs motor and motivation are the question marks, never the talent. When he does turn it on, he is capable of carrying a game. You just never know when that will happen. It is fascinating to see how the crowd reacts to Williams.” — Jamie Shaw, On3 National Recruiting Analyst