"I know I have NBA talent": Sacramento State commit Mikey Williams makes his feelings known on accepting NIL paycut to play for HC Mike Bibby

Former five-star prospect Mikey Williams entered the transfer portal in April after one season playing for the UCF Knights. It was Williams' sole season in college basketball, after he had sat out what was to be his freshman year for the Memphis Tigers due to legal troubles.

Last week, the controversial Williams announced his commitment to the Sacramento State Hornets. The Hornets hired NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal as general manager and Mike Bibby as head coach, and Williams is among the first recruits to commit to the program in its new era.

During Saturday's "Overtime" podcast, Mikey Williams mentioned why he took an NIL cut to play for Bibby in Sacramento (3:43).

"I've just been through certain things in life that changed my perspective on reality, you feel me? So, I could bet on myself, I know I have NBA talent," Williams said. "I know it's a process to get there, but I know that I'm gonna get there one day."

He added:

"Two, you gotta look at it like, this college, a lot of players in college aren't going to the NBA or onto the next level. This kind of became the NBA farm. So they really gotta go take the biggest bag wherever they can get it. But I just have faith in myself and my work."

Mikey Williams has had a turbulent career

Mikey Williams has had a turbulent basketball career after being the first American high school star to sign an endorsement deal with Puma in 2021. He leveraged his massive appeal, which saw him gather five million followers across various social media platforms, to ink the lucrative deal.

After committing to the Memphis Tigers under coach Penny Hardaway, Williams faced nine felony charges due to a shooting that occurred at his home in 2023. A plea deal allowed him to avoid jail time, and he transferred from Memphis without playing a single minute to the UCF Knights, where he played his first season in college.

During his sole season with the Knights, Mikey Williams averaged 5.1 points on 37.1% shooting from the floor and 28.1% shooting from beyond the arc, 1.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists.