Show Jason & John, Ep Hour 1–J&J Show Friday 12/15/23 – Dec 15, 2023 An Insightful Interview on Jason & John with Mikey Williams’ attorney makes it clear the star athlete is ready to get on the court. What is the hold up? (24 minutes in)
Mikey Williams was slated to attend Kansas but as with many high-profile recruitments, he was also coveted by Penny and the Tigers. He decided to attend Memphis because of the rich legacy of Coach Hardaway as a Nike athlete and Coach Penny’s experience in the NBA. Memphis also has a history of amazing combo guards like Derrick Rose and Dajaun Wagner, who played for Coach Cal, but they wore the Memphis uniform.
The attractiveness of playing for the man who inspired one of the most amazing marketing campaigns and sneaker lines in the history of footwear and had a long career as a PG in the NBA, makes it understandable why Mikey chose to come to Memphis.
Mikey’s decision was bolstered by Coach Penny’s unwavering support over the course of the year as the criminal complaint against Mikey became more prevalent. Hardaway had every opportunity to move on and leave the young man isolated, but he didn’t. He doubled down on his support of Williams and has been an amazingly supportive coach throughout this ordeal.
In the interview on Jason and John with Williams’ lawyer, Troy P. Owens, the lawyer stated that Mikey wants to compete this year and Coach Penny would love for the kid to compete this season, but it seems the administration at the University of Memphis could be the wall in the middle of the road. Consider that Nae’Qwan Tomlin will be a midseason transfer and discussions about Mikey being a possible disruption are immediately put to rest.
The University of Memphis has on the table the potential to have one of the most explosive guards in college basketball as an option immediately making it likely that the team will skyrocket in the rankings. Mikey Williams provides Memphis an almost Kentucky like backcourt similar to when Devin Booker came off the bench, so why is Mikey Williams not on the court?
According to the attorney of Williams, the plead isn’t a viable offense in Memphis and was reduced to “criminal threats” in San Diego. Mikey has completed anger management and gun safety courses. The most important aspect was none of the charges could be proven and Williams was on his own property at the time of the alleged infractions. Here is what the young man has lost:
- His Puma contract
- Time on the court affecting his draft status
- Coaching and support from the college
All of these things could be considered in the same vein as Ja Morant, but Mikey is a teenager who has had to live the life of a professional athlete in the most difficult time in history for kids who have to deal with social media and a life lived online. In a world where kids snatch and grab from stores and run internet scams for clout, protecting yourself when there is a threat shouldn’t even be considered a crime.
Could it be that Memphis doesn’t want to disrupt their momentum? Not really. Penny has all but stated that he wants Mikey on the court. Here is what Mikey has done even while dealing with the issues surrounding his criminal complaint:
- Maintains an almost perfect GPA in online courses at the University of Memphis
- Is in great academic standing after being enrolled in the University online, showing considerable maturity.
- Completed requirements of his criminal complaint
Mikey’s character should never be an issue. The kid, even before committing to Memphis hosted camps in Tennessee where he donated over $30,000 in gear to kids. Mikey also sponsored basketball teams via the revenue he generated through NIL deals. Here is a kid who had to behave like a pro and is treated like an adult athlete when he’s still a nineteen-year-old kid.
Williams might be a victim of bad timing. With Ja Morant’s case and suspension Mikey may be facing a situation where The University of Memphis not Penny Hardway is impeding his return. Which wouldn’t be unfamiliar territory. Long before Penny Hardaway came on board at Memphis, Keelon Lawson, who sent his four talented and highly ranked basketball playing sons to Memphis, was made an assistant coach.
While many thought it suspect that Lawson would get the job when two of his sons were signed, the reality is I covered Coach Lawson, and he is only one of two coaches in the state of Tennessee to win a state championship with an undefeated season. Lawson was more than qualified to attain an assistant coaching position on the staff.
Lawson was demoted amidst the turmoil at the University of Memphis in the hiring of Tubby Smith. Coach Lawson encountered considerable pushback from the school which lied to him about his job. Coach Lawson’s first two sons transferred from Memphis. Completely disconnected from the issues between Lawson and the University of Memphis, his next two sons eventually transferred as well. Hinting at tension still existing between the program and the Lawson family.
The treatment by the administration of the Lawson family has long been discussed in basketball circles as evidence of an administration that looks to hide behind the rules as a justification of treatment of both athletes, coaches and parents.
Could the University be behind the slow implementation of Mikey back into the program because of the “negativity” around Ja Morant? Is there a trickle down situation taking place? When will Mikey Williams get on the court? Could this lead to Williams actually going the OTE (Overtime Elite) route and reopening his recruitment, or will a sneaker company like New Balance step in and do what was done with Darius Bazley who took a Gap year before being drafted into the NBA? The ball is obviously in the court of the University of Memphis. Will they change gears and allow a young man who has done everything right to participate? If they don’t it could lead to an opportunity for negative recruitment by other colleges which could hurt the program long-term.
