High School Star Mikey Williams Signs NIL Deal With Excel Sports

Mikey Williams is the first prep star to sign with a major representation agency
High School Star Mikey Williams Signs NIL Deal With Excel Sports
High School Star Mikey Williams Signs NIL Deal With Excel Sports /

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Clifford Oto/The Stockton Record/USA Today Network

High school star Mikey Williams has signed with Excel Sports management, making him the first prep player to join a major sports representation agency, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Williams could earn “millions of dollars” through various name, image and likeness endorsements and sponsorships, per Wojnarowski. Williams sports a major social-media following, allowing him to cash in on various off-court opportunities in the new NIL era. 

"The NIL rules provide a new opportunity for someone like me who that has put in so much energy and effort into building a community," Williams told ESPN in a statement. "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, is the No. 5 player in the class of 2023, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He will not be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2024.

Name, Image and Likeness legislation has rapidly reshaped college athletics in recent months as players use their brands to receive endorsement deals across the country. But Williams is the first prep player to leverage his platform in a similar fashion. Perhaps we’ll see a wave of high-school stars profiting off their likeness in future months following Williams’s decision on Thursday.


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Michael Shapiro
MICHAEL SHAPIRO

Michael Shapiro is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. He is a Denver native and 2018 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.