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Following his April arrest, high school basketball star and Memphis commit Mikey Williams is losing his sponsorship deal with a sports technology company called Lace Clips.
The four-star recruit from California quickly rose in prominence over the last year, amassing multiple partnerships and a strong social media following. However, his brand took a massive hit after he was charged with five felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon in a March shooting in San Diego. Williams pleaded not guilty and will return to court in June for a hearing.
But Lace Clips has already made their decision on the 18-year-old guard. “We are not continuing our partnership with Mikey Williams,” company president Jonathan Nussbaum said, per TMZ Sports. “He is not someone that will be associated with our brand going forward.”
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He also explained how the union was breaking down before the arrest and alleged that Williams was not fulfilling his obligations. Lace Clips, who produces smart activity sports performance monitors that attach to shoes, was one of the first companies to link up with the popular prospect. The athlete previously expressed his ambitious desire to become a billionaire by the age of 25.
It remains to be seen if this was merely the first domino to fall after this avalanche of bad optics and felony charges, or if Mikey Williams will avoid further loss for the time being.
Fans will be particularly interested in how Penny Hardaway and Memphis basketball responds. The program is no stranger to controversy and scandal, but an ongoing felony case might cause the Tigers to end their own relationship with Williams.
