Tag: Mikey Williams

Overtime announces launch of professional league ‘Overtime Elite’

Overtime officially launched its new professional basketball league for high school prospects called “Overtime Elite” on Thursday.

Overtime, a multimedia sports company, officially launched its new professional basketball league for high school prospects called “Overtime Elite” on Thursday.

Overtime Elite, also known as OTE, will consist of 30 players who will all earn $100,000 per year, plus bonuses and shares of equity in Overtime according to Overtime’s press release. Players will also be able to profit off their name, image and likeness through avenues such as custom jersey sales, trading cards and video games. Players will also have the right to sign sponsorships with sneaker companies.

Overtime Elite will also provide health care for players. Those who don’t pursue professional opportunities after playing in the league will have up to $100,000 of their college tuition cost covered.

The league is being headed up by Aaron Ryan, a former NBA executive who once worked as Senior Vice President of USA Basketball, and Brandon Williams, a former NBA player and front office executive. Ryan will work as Overtime Elite’s Commissioner and President. Williams will serve as the head of basketball operations.

“Many athletes aren’t properly prepared for what it really means to go pro,” said Carmelo Anthony, who is joining OTE’s board of directors, in the release. “We need to do a better job of empowering the next generation of players and setting them up for success. OTE is leading the way on that front by offering players a comprehensive route that fully develops the athlete – not just basketball skills, but also education, economic empowerment and building their own brand. Having this type of guidance for high school players is critical in setting them up for a successful career both on and off the court.”

According to 247Sports’ Travis Branham, 2023 combo guard Mikey Williams, the No. 2 player in his class, will be a primary target for Overtime as it begins its recruiting efforts to attract talent to the league. Williams has become an internet sensation throughout his high school basketball career, amassing nearly three million followers on Instagram.

RELATED: Report: Overtime launching semi-pro league for high school basketball prospects

Mikey Williams predicted to land at North Carolina Central

247Sports’ Travis Branham predicted Wednesday that five-star 2023 recruit Mikey Williams will commit to North Carolina Central.

Mikey Williams still has a couple of years before he wraps up his high school basketball career and ascends to either the college or professional ranks, but a decision on his future could be coming soon.

Williams listed Alabama State, Arizona State, Hampton, Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina Central, San Diego State, Tennessee State, Texas Southern and USC in his top 10 during the summer and hinted at committing at the end of his sophomore season. One of those schools seems to have a leg up over the others in Williams’ recruitment, as 247Sports recruiting analyst Travis Branham projected the five-star combo guard to land at North Carolina Central on Wednesday.

“He has built a strong bond with NC Central head coach LeVelle Moton and for a trend-setter such as Williams, going off the beaten path away from the nation’s top programs would be fitting,” Branham said. “I have placed my Crystal Ball with a confidence level of seven in favor of the Eagles in Williams’ current home state of North Carolina.”

Williams spoke highly over North Carolina Central during the summer, praising Moton for the work he has done with the program. North Carolina Central has made the NCAA Tournament four times under Moton’s watch and the 46-year-old has a 211-152 record in 12 seasons with the Eagles.

“My boy LeVelle [Moton], his whole culture resonates, it’s crazy,” Williams told Branham in August. “I used to live in North Carolina, I love NC Central, I love them a lot. Me and LeVelle are real cool, I lived in North Carolina and I’m comfortable with it out there.”

RELATED: No. 1 2021 recruit Chet Holmgren will pick a college

Williams is one of the most high-profile players in a loaded 2023 recruiting class, ranking No. 2 overall in the class according to 247Sports. His scouting report reads:

Extremely productive combo guard with good size and length. Strong kid for age but not maxed out physically. High level athlete who is an explosive finisher. Has range to perimeter with jumper and is pretty consistent three-point shooter. Has handle and vision to facilitate and play on ball full time. Physical tools to be a good defender. Level of fame at age is current biggest obstacle to overcome.

Report: Overtime launching semi-pro league for high school basketball prospects

A new semi-professional league that will provide compensation for high school basketball prospects is in the works.

A new semi-professional league that will provide compensation for high school basketball prospects is in the works.

According to 247Sports’ Travis Branham, Overtime, a multimedia sports company, is planning on launching its own league that will pay the top high school basketball recruits in the country. Overtime is expected to announce the league sometime in February and begin competition in Sept. 2021.

Per Branham, the “aim of the league is to field up to eight teams of the top high school basketball prospects in the country with the vision of providing a new preps-to-pro alternative — with salaries expected to be well within the six-figure range.” Players who participate in the league will no longer attend their local high schools or participate in high school sporting events as they compete and receive coaching and training from former NBA athletes and coaches in the Overtime Select league. Education will be offered in a “non-traditional” manner.

Upon graduating from high school, the next step for the prospects who play in the league will likely be going to the G-League or pursuing opportunities overseas. However, it remains to be seen how the league will impact a prospect’s college eligibility.  According to Branham, 2023 combo guard Mikey Williams, the No. 2 player in his class, will be a primary target for Overtime as it begins its recruiting efforts. Williams has become an internet sensation throughout his high school basketball career, amassing nearly three million followers on Instagram.

Overtime’s Select League is similar in structure to LaVar Ball’s failed Junior Basketball Association. However, Overtime Select will be the first league of its kind to solely focus on teenagers in the United States as opposed to Ball’s league, which also featured international prospects.

RELATED: Kentucky commit Skyy Clark opts out of remainder of high school season

Bronny James to play in ESPN2 high school hoops triple-header Nov. 12

Bronny James and his Blue Chips squad are playing on ESPN2 as part of a high school basketball tripleheader.

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It’s looking increasingly likely that we will see NBA Basketball before the calendar turns to 2021 and the world of basketball looks to be getting to something resembling a regular schedule, including the highest levels of high school basketball in the United States. Bronny James and his Sierra Canyon squad haven’t played yet but Bronny’s Blue Chips squad will be the nightcap in a high school basketball tripleheader on ESPN2 that will air next Thursday.

Bronny and the Blue Chips will follow the marquee games, which will feature Bronny’s former Sierra Canyon teammate Mikey Williams and Lake Norman Christian Academy (North Carolina) against the perennial basketball power Oak Hill Academy. No. 1 ranked senior Chet Holmgren will take on No. 1 ranked junior Emoni Bates in a showdown in the 2nd game, before leading to the nightcap. Here’s a breakdown of the games from an ESPN press release.

Sierra Canyon will take on Bates and Ypsi Prep later in November.

7 p.m. (from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Lake Norman Christian (Huntersville, N.C.): No. 3 sophomore Mikey Williams
at
Oak Hill Academy: No. 10 junior M.J. Rice

8:30 p.m. (from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Team Sizzle (Minneapolis, Minnesota): No. 1 senior Chet Holmgren
vs.
Ypsi Prep (Ypsilanti, Michigan): No. 1 junior Emoni Bates (Michigan State commit), No. 18 junior Dillon Hunter and No. 67 senior Jaden Akins (Michigan State commit)

10 p.m. (North Valley Christian Academy in Phoenix, Ariz.)
Air Nado (Henderson, Nev.): No. 4 senior Jaden Hardy, No. 42 senior Frankie Collins (Michigan)
vs.
CBC (Chatsworth, Calif.): No. 3 junior Amari Bailey, No. 39 junior Chance Westry and No. 24 sophomore Bronny James

*All times listed are Eastern Standard Time on ESPN2

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USC basketball: Trojans in top-10 for Instagram star Mikey Williams

The USC Trojans are among the top-10 schools for the National Freshman of the Year, Mikey Williams, a point guard out of San Diego.

The USC Trojans are continuing to look for ways to upgrade their guard play in the future, and going after the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year is a darn good start.

Mikey Williams, one of the best prospects in the class of 2023 and already an Instagram sensation, listed his top 10 schools in a tweet on Wednesday evening and USC made the list.

The Trojans were included alongside Arizona State, Memphis, San Diego State and Kansas, as well as five HBCUs: Alabama State, Hampton, NC Central, Tennessee State and Texas Southern.

Williams is among a handful of recruits who is considering attending a Historically Black College in order to help bring notoriety to these universities in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Williams has posted numerous high-flying dunking videos as a young teenager, helping his accrue over 2.3 million followers on Instagram.

Lastly, Williams is pretty good at basketball as well, earning the No. 3 ranking in the class of 2023 by ESPN after averaging 29.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game his freshman season in San Diego.

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Mikey Williams includes 5 HBCU schools in top 10 recruitment list

No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023 Mikey Williams narrowed down his recruitment list to 10 schools that he is considering.

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No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023 Mikey Williams on Wednesday narrowed down his list to 10 schools that he is considering for his collegiate recruitment.

Among his list, Williams included five historically Black college or university programs: North Carolina Central, Alabama State, Texas Southern, Hampton and Tennessee State. In addition to those schools, Kansas, USC, Memphis and Arizona State made up the rest of his top 10 list.

The inclusion of the HBCU schools comes after he stated last month he would strongly consider playing at an HBCU after his mother attended Hampton University. He could follow in the footsteps of five-star recruit Makur Maker to commit to an HBCU, who announced this month he would play at Hampton.

The idea of committing to play at an HBCU has gained traction in recent weeks following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others. Williams playing at an HBCU would help generate massive interest and revenue in the community.

Perhaps the other big surprise in his final list is the exclusion of turning professional early.

Several high-profile prospects, such as Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd and Jonathan Kuminga, have committed to the NBA G League professional pathway program in recent weeks. Players in that program can earn as much as $500,000 as more prospects look to capitalize early off of their name.

Of course, Williams could still look to turn pro early but the idea of staying in college is still very much a possibility for the 16-year-old five-star prospect.

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Ahead of Chris Paul’s docuseries, Makur Maker commits to HBCU Howard

Makur Maker became one of the few elite prospects to commit to and HBCU, and did so days after Chris Paul’s docuseries was announced.

Makur Maker, an elite high school prospect who initially declared for the NBA Draft, has taken a step to try to spark a movement.

Maker announced his commitment to Howard University, a historically Black university, early Friday morning.

Few top prospects go the route of an HBCU; only two active NBA players attended one. Maker hopes his decision encourages more athletes to follow him.

“I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard & other started to dream “what if,” he wrote in a post to Twitter. “I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow.”

This comes on the heels of an announcement that Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul is helping produce a docuseries about the recruiting struggles HBCUs go through.

“HBCUs historically have been at a competitive disadvantage with their basketball programs facing many challenges with funding, recruitment, misperceptions, and exposure,” Paul said in a statement to Deadline.

“With the current racial awakening in our country prompting young athletes to look at where they play, it’s now more important than ever to shine a light on HBCUs and showcase their value in sports and society.”

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Maker is a five-star center on 247Sports’ rankings. He has modern feel to his game, showing the ability to serve as a playmaker at the top of the arc with decent handles and passing, particularly for a player listed at 6-foot-11, but must add bulk to his 235-pound build to match up against the bigs in the NBA.

He was granted eligibility for the 2020 NBA Draft after appealing the league last year, but has elected to attend Howard instead.

Maker hopes more elite athletes will follow him down the HBCU route soon. He specifically called for Mikey Williams in his tweet.

Williams is a five-star 2023 guard on ESPN’s rankings (247Sports hasn’t posted incoming sophomore rankings as of Thursday). He has become well-known among high school basketball enthusiasts online for his dunking prowess and scoring ability, and he scored 77 points in one game as a freshman.

Williams quote-tweeted Maker’s announcement with “let’s shock the world,” and also posted a screenshot of Maker’s Instagram post to Twitter.

2023 top prospect Mikey Williams considering going to an HBCU

Top-five prospect in the Class of 2023 wants to help change sports forever by committing to a historically black college.

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No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023 Mikey Williams tweeted last week that attending a historically black college or university will be in consideration when it comes to committing to a basketball program.

The 15-year-old phenom could potentially make history by choosing an HBCU over a basketball powerhouse, such as Duke, Kentucky or Kansas. The move to play at a historically black university would be the first of its kind and one that Williams is strongly considering.

Williams committing to play at a historically black university would help generate massive interest and revenue in the black community, something that he wants to help create. In an interview with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report, Williams discussed the chances of playing at an HBCU.

[There is a] good chance, it just depends on how my future plays out. Only God knows what the future holds for me and as of right now I don’t. … I’ve always looked into going to an HBCU; my mom went to Hampton, and she put it in my head early, with my social media following and influence I feel that I have a chance to change sports forever.

A lot of athletes are so star struck by big-name schools and coaches that they forget they control their own narrative. If there’s anybody that is getting paid from me being at their school I’d want it to be my own people. It’s all about timing and situation. I support the black community to the fullest and any way possible I can help I’m going to do so no matter what it is.

After his tweet went viral, Williams immediately received scholarship offers from several historically black universities, like Florida A&M, Hampton, North Carolina Central, Norfolk State and several others.

According to Yahoo Sports, Williams has received about a dozen offers from HBCU programs.

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Freshman star Mikey Williams scores 77 points in game

Mikey Williams, who has been on the national radar for years with his dunking ability, scored 77 points in a San Ysidro win Friday.

Freshman Mikey Williams has only played nine games of high school basketball.

He already breaking records.

The San Ysidro High School (San Diego, California) point guard scored 77 points on Friday night, breaking the CIF-San Diego Section record.

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Williams made 29 field goals, nine 3-pointers and went 10-for-15 from the free throw line, according to MaxPreps. The number of field goals he attempted was not specified.

He scored more points than the entire opposing team did as San Ysidro took down Kearny (San Diego, California) 116-52.

Williams has had an incredible start to his high school career. He scored 41 points in the first game he played, and followed that with a 50-point outing.

On Thursday, he put up 51 points. But that was just setting up his Friday night outburst.

Williams is averaging 35.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and assists apiece and 1.7 steals per game.

He has been on the national radar for years with his dunking ability. Now in high school, it’s abundantly clear he’s more than just a dunker.

WATCH: Mikey Williams levels up, scores 50 in second game

California freshman phenom Mikey Williams scored 50 points after hitting for 40 in his first career game, further stamping his influence on the SoCal basketball scene.

He did it again. Actually, he did it even better.

Mikey Williams, the freshman phenom for San Ysidro (Calif.) High School, dropped a smooth 50 points in the second game of his high school career as San Ysidro eked out an 88-77 victory against Mission Bay (Calif.) at an early season tournament.

RELATED: High school basketball freshman phenom Mikey Williams scores 40 in first game

That follows his 40-point high school debut, and makes Williams’ season total 90 points through two games, an average of 45 points per game. Not too shabby.

Here are the highlights of Williams’ latest explosive performance, thanks to our friends at Overtime:

Talk about a walking bucket.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Williams’ early displays has been his remarkable court vision. Williams isn’t just creating for himself, the point guard is setting up his teammates for easy bunnies and open jumpers. If that continues, well, let’s just say we’ll be tuning in to any San Ysidro games we can catch, live or on demand.