Memphis recruit Mikey Williams was arrested in San Diego on Saturday. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and his mugshot appears online. Fans on social media were merciless in comparing Williams to controversial Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
According to ESPN, Williams is facing multiple charges of assault with a deadly weapon. He was released early Friday after posting $50,000 bail. He will make his first appearance in court on Thursday. He faces a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison if he is found guilty.
Williams’ attorney, Troy P. Owens, issued the following statement in defense of his client:
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“This altercation was started by several uninvited people entering the house and causing a disturbance. After this disturbance, there were reports of gunshots. Mr. Williams is alleged to match the shooter’s description.
“As a result, a search warrant was executed at the home and Mr. Williams was arrested. He has posted bail and looks forward to addressing any allegations against him using established procedures in our justice system.”
Mikey Williams’ mugshot surfaced a few hours after his arrest. Williams, a popular social media star, faced a ton of criticism online and fans weren’t exactly nice about it.
Some even compared his situation to that of Ja Morant, who was suspended by the NBA for eight games for misconduct. One said:
“The Ja Morant Effect”
Here are some of the reactions to Williams’ mugshot on Twitter:
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Memphis releases statement on Mikey Williams’ arrest
Mikey Williams was one of Penny Hardaway’s prized recruits for the Memphis Tigers the next season. Williams was a four-star recruit coming out of San Ysidro High School in San Diego and was ranked 34th on ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2023.
The Tigers’ athletic department issued the following statement after Williams’ arrest:
“We are aware of the situation and are gathering more information.”
Williams was a popular high school basketball player and became a social media sensation.
His mixtape was huge on YouTube. He has four million followers on Instagram and more than two million on TikTok. The popularity of him even led to Puma signing him to an exclusive endorsement deal.
Guns and basketball players have been a hot topic this year. Ja Morant was involved in several alleged incidents involving a weapon, culminating in an eight-game suspension by the NBA.
A New Mexico State player was involved in a self-defense shooting that led the university to cancel its season and fire coach Greg Heiar. Alabama’s Brandon Miller was linked to a murder in which one of the suspects was former teammate Darius Miles.
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