Former Memphis star recruit Williams joins portal

Memphis freshman Mikey Williams is entering the transfer portal, the school announced Monday.

Williams had yet to play a game for the Tigers, as he’s been away from the team while the legal process stemming from his April arrest played out.

“We can confirm Mikey Williams has chosen to enter the transfer portal,” the school said in a statement. “The University process for him to join the men’s basketball program was underway, but Williams elected to explore his options at this time.”

Williams, a former star recruit who signed with Memphis in its 2023 class, was arrested last spring following a March 27 incident at his home, when shots were allegedly fired at a carful of people who had left his residence.

He faced nine felony counts in the case, but pleaded guilty in November to a lesser felony charge of making criminal threats. The plea meant Williams could get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor if reached a number of requirements before his scheduled sentencing next August.

At the time, the university said it had no update on Williams’ status with the team. It announced in September that he wouldn’t have access to team facilities or activities “until his pending legal process is complete.”

Williams, a 6-foot-2 guard with 3.6 million Instagram followers, was considered a five-star prospect early in his high school career, when he garnered national attention for his dunking exploits and YouTube mixtapes.