Why the Entire World Is Watching Mikey Williams

Mikey Williams is only 16, but that does not stop the California hooper from having his own show, appearing in a Bape and Drake Commercial, and from amassing over 2.5 million Instagram followers. Known for his emphatic and aggressive style, he dominates the competition with a well rounded style that allows him to thrive on both ends of the court.

Some believe the platform and influence Mikey has to be excessive. However, the star player, ranked third in ESPN’s 2023 rankings class, is using his platform to promote an unprecedented change in the basketball community.

Most players ranked in the top 25 in their class choose to attend blueblood schools (Kentucky, UNC, Indiana, Duke, UCLA, and Kansas) or other elite colleges. However, Williams, with offers from any college a high school hooper could dream of attending, has toyed with the idea of attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).

HBCUs are typically never looked at by top recruits as they haven’t exactly produced top NBA talent. Despite this, with social reform movements occurring across the country to protest police brutality and black lives matter, Williams wants to attend a school that will create a cultural shift amongst top recruits. 

Mikey’s comments about potentially doing so inspired five-star Makur Maker to commit to Howard, an HBCU verbally. The commitment made Maker the highest-rated HBCU commit ever. He chose Howard over Memphis, UCLA, and Kentucky, all schools with coveted track records of producing NBA talent.

“We will make a change!!! Thank You bro!! @MakurMaker #HBCU”, Williams said in response to Maker’s commitment via his Twitter. 

Williams dropped a top ten school list over the summer. The list featured four HBCU’s alongside schools like Kansas and Memphis. Mikey has hinted multiple times via his Twitter that his decision to attend an HBCU is all but inevitable.

“About to make folks mad with this!!🗣 #HBCU”, said Mikey Willaims via his Twitter.