Top-ranked women's basketball recruit Mikaylah Williams signs NIL deal

Mikaylah Williams – the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2023 and an LSU women’s basketball commitment – has signed a NIL deal with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys.

Williams, ranked No. 1 in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz and other scouting services, can sign a NIL deal because she is from Bossier City, Louisiana. After a rule change in April, NIL is allowed in Louisiana for high school student-athletes. The terms of the NIL deal were not made public.

Williams plays at Parkway High School, and she picked LSU over Ole Miss, Baylor, Duke and Texas A&M in April.

After leading the Lady Panthers to the 2022 Class 5A state championship game, Williams was named Miss Basketball by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, Louisiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year and one of five finalists for the Naismith National High School Girls Player of the Year while boasting a 4.0 GPA. She averaged 22.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals as a junior at Parkway High. She also plays for the Mavs Elite GUAA travel team.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join The G Team,” Williams said in a social media post. “I’m thankful that Gordon sees the potential in high school athletes like me. Ready to get it done.”

Mikaylah Williams not only NIL deal McKernan has executed

Gordon McKernan has been one of the most active figures in NIL.

Yes, he hasn’t generated as much national attention as Miami mega-booster John Ruiz and LifeWallet. But McKernan and his firm have struck significant NIL deals with LSU stars like Kayshon Boutte, Jaquelin Roy, Malik Nabers and other impact Tiger players. Heck, he even did a deal recently with five-star linebacker Harold Perkins.

But Williams is the first high-school player McKernan signed.

“I’d be a fool to not sign MK,” McKernan said in a news release. “In addition to her unmatched skill on the court, her character is nothing short of admirable. Her zest for life, hunger for growth, and love for family spoke to me.”

When asked about his plans for further potential sponsorships, McKernan was clear: “I think there’s a lot of value for helping a student-athlete and at the same time helping our company, so we’re going to … do it across multiple sports,” he told WBRZ.

“We look forward to helping the LSU community in the long-term, generating goodwill both for these athletes and for the Gordon McKernan firm.”

McKernan also told Sports Illustrated the price tag for elite players is often at least $100,000 in NIL salary. McKernan said he will pay $500,000 in NIL deals this year.

Williams should be a NIL force

In 2022, Mikaylah Williams won a gold medal with Team USA in the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup FIBA 3×3 World Cup, where she was also named MVP. Additionally, she was named one of twelve players on the 2022 USA Basketball Women’s U17 National Team, who took home a gold medal after competing in the FIBA U17 World Cup in Hungary this summer.

Williams, also a standout softball player and track and field athlete, is part of a family of exceptional athletes. Her mother played for Northwestern State from 2002-05 and helped the Lady Demons win the 2003-04 Southland Conference championship. Her father played at BPCC for current Northwestern State coach Mike McConathy.

With her lofty ranking and one major deal already in her pocket, don’t be surprised if Williams becomes a major force in the NIL world.

First, she’s a local star heading to LSU. She’s also talented on the court. Plus, she has a strong social media following with more than 24,800 followers on Instagram alone. She’s already verified on the social media platform, giving her even more clout with potential NIL deal makers.

Additionally, Williams has signed a NIL representation contract with Family First Sports. The group is a top sports agency focused on NBA and WNBA athletes.