Mikey Williams has long had a massive social media following tracking his journey as an elite high school basketball recruit.
Now, he is preparing to cash in on the brand that he has built for himself.
Williams signed with Excel Sports Management to handle his name, likeness and image rights on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“The NIL rules provide a new opportunity for someone like me who has put in so much energy and effort into building a community,” Williams said in a statement issued to ESPN. “I am excited to be the first high school athlete to make this move. I love to hoop and I love engaging with my fans and look forward to continuing to share my journey with everyone.”
Williams won’t be eligible for the NBA draft for another couple of years, but is already one of the more recognizable figures in basketball. The California native has more than five million followers across multiple social media platforms and has appeared in countless Ballislife and Overtime videos, further raising his national profile.
“Mikey’s relevance around his peers in the basketball community is off the charts,” Excel Sports Management 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.”