Mikey Williams signs NIL deal with Excel Family, expected to generate "millions of dollars"

2023 five-star guard Mikey Williams has become the first prep basketball player to sign with a major sports agency in an effort to begin profiting off of name, image and likeness opportunities, a deal that is expected to generate “millions of dollars” for the 17-year-old standout.

Excel Sports Management announced the signing of Williams on Thursday, with the top-ten prospect releasing a statement of his own to confirm the news.

“Mikey Williams is not only an incredibly talented basketball player, but is also culturally savvy and relevant – and we could not be more excited to welcome him to Excel as our first NIL representation client,” the agency announced. “The 2024 NBA Draft prospect has made a name for himself on the basketball court and off, amassing more than 5M followers across Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Thanks to a combination of hoops, hustle and swag, Mikey is one of the most engaging elite youth athletes with a reputation and skillset that is off the charts. He represents today’s zeitgeist, with a community of followers he has developed through creative, curated and compelling content.

“We will work with Mikey to continue to develop his personal brand and build an endorsement and partnership portfolio that is authentic to who he is and what he stands for. He is truly a unique talent primed to take advantage of the rapidly evolving athlete endorsement space and we know the future is bright for him!”

Williams says he’s grateful for the new NIL rules that allow for a signing of this magnitude, one that will allow him to capitalize off of his 5-plus million followers across all social media platforms.

“The NIL rules provide a new opportunity for someone like me who that has put in so much energy and effort into building a community,” Williams told ESPN in a statement. “I am excited to be the first high school athlete to make this move. I love to hoop and I love engaging with my fans and look forward to continuing to share my journey with everyone.”

Excel vice president Matt Davis said his national profile will allow him to generate millions of dollars, making it a can’t-miss opportunity for the agency.

“Mikey’s relevance around his peers in the basketball community is off the charts,” Davis told ESPN. “He’s one of the most relevant personalities in the basketball community. His digital and social following speak for themselves. … He’s a rare, one-of-a-kind athlete in this space. We’re going to build out his national profile and take big swings.”

Williams, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard set to attend Lake Norman Christian in Huntersville, North Carolina this season, is the No. 7 overall prospect in ESPN’s updated recruiting rankings in the class of 2023. He remains undecided regarding his post-high school plans – he’s expected to consider the professional route on top of dozens of options at the collegiate level – but one thing remains clear for the rising junior: money will be there at the next level, regardless of the final destination.