After one season with UCF, Mikey Williams will seek a new team in the college basketball transfer portal. Two years after being one of the top recruits of the class of 2023, the former high school basketball star enters the portal for the second time in his career.

Two weeks after UCF's season ended in the Big 12 Tournament, Williams entered the portal on Monday, On3 Sports' Pete Nakos reported. He previously transferred to the Knights from Memphis, where he originally committed to out of high school.

Williams, a former four-star recruit, appeared in just 18 games in 2024-2025, averaging 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists. Following a slow start to the year, Williams ramped up his production in February, recording a career-high 14 points against No. 10-ranked Iowa State on Feb. 11 and again one week later against Oklahoma State on Feb. 19.

Before joining UCF, Williams started his college basketball career at Memphis but never joined Penny Hardaway's team. Shortly after committing to the Tigers, Williams was arrested in April 2023 for firing a gun at a car outside his home. He pleaded guilty to felony charges after a plea deal.

The arrest fully halted the momentum he had as a former high school basketball star. The legal process kept him away from the Memphis basketball team and delayed his career by a year. He entered the college basketball transfer portal at the end of the year, stating he did not feel Hardaway and the team made his return a “priority.”

Before committing to Memphis, Williams also received offers from Kansas, Arkansas, Oregon, LSU, Tennessee and Arizona, among others.

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Mikey Williams' stellar high school basketball career

Central Florida Knights guard Mikey Williams (1) defends Iowa State Cyclones guard Keshon Gilbert (10) at Addition Financial Arena.
Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

Before his arrest, Williams was easily one of the most hyped college basketball recruits of the class of 2023. Though ranked as the No. 49 prospect by ESPN, Williams was arguably the biggest star of the class due to his social media hype.

Williams first graced mainstream media as a high school freshman when he caught the nation's attention by scoring 77 points in a game for San Ysidro High School. Clips from his performance went viral on Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, where they were re-posted by ESPN and SportsCenter.

At the end of his freshman season, Williams was named the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year. He transferred in the ensuing offseason, continuing his career at Lake Norman Christian in North Carolina. After a brief stint at Vertical Academy, Williams returned to San Ysidro for his senior year.