High school basketball star, 17, signs historic deal with sports agency that 'will generate millions of dollars' in endorsements - even though he won't be eligible to play in NBA until 2024
- High school basketball phenom and social media star Mikey Williams could earn 'millions' in a historic name, image and likeness deal announced Thursday
- Excel Sports management vice president Matt Davis said Williams is 'one of the most relevant personalities in' basketball, and will earn 'millions' on this deal
- Williams has more than 5 million followers across the social media platforms Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, Excel said in a news release on Thursday
- The 17-year-old shooting guard from San Diego is the No. 7 overall prospect in the Class of 2023 by ESPN and won't be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2024
High school basketball phenom and social media star Mikey Williams could earn 'millions' in a historic name, image and likeness deal announced Thursday with Excel Sports management.
'Mikey's relevance around his peers in the basketball community is off the charts,' Excel vice president Matt Davis told ESPN. 'He's one of the most relevant personalities in the basketball community. His digital and social following speak for themselves.'
The 17-year-old shooting guard from San Diego is rated as the No. 7 overall prospect in the Class of 2023 by ESPN and won't be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2024.
High school basketball phenom and social media star Mikey Williams could earn 'millions' in a historic name, image and likeness deal announced Thursday with Excel Sports management
Williams, who will attend Lake Norman Christian in North Carolina this season, is the first prep basketball player to sign with a sports agency to pursue NIL endorsements and sponsorships.
'I am excited to be the first high school athlete to make this move,' Williams told ESPN. 'I love to hoop and I love engaging with my fans and look forward to continuing to share my journey with everyone.'
Including the likelihood of a major shoe deal, Davis told ESPN he believes the deal 'will generate millions of dollars for this young man.'
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Williams has more than 5 million followers across the social media platforms Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, Excel said in a news release on Thursday.
'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,' read the statement from Excel. 'He represents today's zeitgeist, with a community of followers he has developed through creative, curated and compelling content.'
Williams has more than 5 million followers across the social media platforms Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, Excel said in a news release on Thursday
Williams, who is 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, is a consensus five-star recruit and is ranked No. 5 in the 2023 class by the 247 Sports composite.
'He's a rare, one-of-a-kind athlete in this space,' Davis told ESPN. 'We're going to build out his national profile and take big swings.'
Williams is already a social media star, even if he can't play in the NBA until the year 2024
The NCAA has recently lifted rules barring athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness (NIL), with several reportedly cashing in for six figures within a month of the change.
As for high school athletes, though, signing endorsement deals remains complicated because it could still affect their eligibility at the scholastic level.
There are currently 16 stats that have enacted NIL laws, according to Sports Illustrated. Many, including Texas, prohibit high school athletes from profiting off their NIL rights.
'No individual, corporate entity, or other organization may: Enter into any arrangement with a prospective student athlete relating to the prospective student athlete 's name, image, or likeness prior to their enrollment in an institution of higher education,' reads Texas' NIL law.
And although it may be legal in other states, there is still a chance that the local high school athletic association has rules on the books prohibiting such those deals for student athletes.
Then there are states such as California, which allows high schoolers to profit off their NIL rights, with the only caveat being that they can't use their school's trademarks.
Williams tries to dribble through traffic during the Pangos All-American Camp on June 2, 2019 at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California
