Days after Mikey Williams' transfer to Sacramento State, UCF lands Big East transfer portal target

UCF Knights transfer Mikey Williams committed to the Sacramento State Hornets last week, after spending a year with the Knights. On Wednesday, UCF coach Johnny Dawkins and his staff landed a former four-star recruit, Kris Parker, a transfer from the Big East program Villanova.

Parker spent only one season with the Wildcats and now the Florida native is returning to his home state.

UCFSports' Brandon Helwig reported the news on X.

Several players entered the transfer portal after the Knights finished the season with a 20-17 record.

Williams, a 6-foot-3 freshman and former four-star guard, was among the notable players who chose to transfer. During his time in Orlando, Williams only appeared in 18 games, averaging 5.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per game.

In response to the significant roster overhaul, Dawkins and his staff acted quickly, securing several commitments to fill the available spots on the roster. With the addition of Kris Parker, UCF has brought in ten transfers and one freshman for the upcoming season.

Mikey Williams appreciates Sacramento State's culture and leadership under coach Mike Bibby

Mikey Williams has found a new home in Sacramento, committing to the Hornets, where he will play under Mike Bibby.

Williams discussed his decision and its reasons in an interview with Overtime on Saturday.

"I really like coach Bibby and the coaching staff. I like the culture over there. It was very humbling," Williams said (1:24). "I know they’re getting some of their stuff redone, but just being there kind of made me feel like I was in high school again. ...

"The coaching staff playing into that and just my relationship with coach Bibby. ... I feel like the opportunity itself just made sense for me. I like what coach was talking about. He’s got a lot of trust in me, he believes in me. So I feel like that’s the main thing you need if you’re going to go."

Williams added that the program made him feel like he could restart from the bottom and cited the chance to play closer to his home in California as another important factor in his decision.