Mikey Williams considering an HBCU could shake up college basketball

The nation’s best 15-year-old basketball player sent out an eight-word tweet with potentially seismic implications.

“Going to an HBCU wouldn’t be too bad…” Mikey Williams wrote. 

Instead of turning pro after high school or spending one year at a perennial college powerhouse, Williams signaled that he’s interested in an unexplored path. He plans to consider historically black colleges and universities that are never destinations for one-and-done prospects like him.

While it would be unprecedented for a player to snub the likes of Kansas or UCLA for an HBCU, Williams argues that name-brand college programs aren’t the only stepping stones to the NBA.

“If you’re a pro, [then] you’re a pro no matter what college you go to,” Williams wrote Wednesday in an Instagram post elaborating on his interest in HBCUs. 

What makes going to an HBCU appealing to Williams is that the revenue he generates during his college career would stay within the black community. He says multiple HBCUs will make the cut next time he narrows the list of colleges he is considering. 

“And,” he adds, “they won’t just be there for show.”

“I AM RIDING FOR MY PEOPLE!” Williams wrote. “I’M 10 TOES BEHIND THE BLACK COMMUNITY! Any way I can help or make a change in the black community, best believe I am going to do that.”

Interest from the nation’s top-ranked rising sophomore came as a welcome surprise to HBCU coaches across the country. Within minutes, coaches who previously viewed Williams as unattainable suddenly began bombarding his AAU coach with calls and texts.

Tennessee State offered Williams a scholarship on Tuesday without seeing him play in person. Norfolk State and Texas Southern did the same. By Wednesday afternoon, the dynamic 6-foot-2 guard had piled up offers from about a dozen HBCU programs.

While a talent like Williams would instantly elevate whatever college he chooses, some HBCU coaches insist they would be happy if he picks any of their schools. They’re hoping to find a trailblazer whose bold choice to come to an HBCU could inspire other elite prospects to buck conventional wisdom and do the same.

For decades, predominantly white institutions have raked in revenue in part because of the achievements of black athletes. Someone like Williams could demonstrate that black athletes can generate money and exposure for HBCUs without sacrificing their pursuit of a pro career to do it. 

Because their recruiting budgets are so meager, HBCU coaches try to be selective about which Rivals 150 prospects they pursue. The primary factor is whether a coach already has a strong relationship with someone close to the player. Coaches may also look for elite prospects who have a parent who attended an HBCU or who appear unusually comfortable taking a different path than their peers.

There are two schools of thought for how an HBCU can win a recruiting battle against prestigious power-conference programs. 

The first is exemplified by a tweet sent earlier this week by Mo Williams, a 14-year NBA veteran and newly hired Alabama State coach. He portrayed choosing an HBCU over a predominantly white institution as a way of strengthening the black community and protesting racial inequality.

At the other end of the spectrum is Tennessee State coach Brian “Penny” Collins. The third-year coach will not trivialize the movement demanding justice for George Floyd and an end to police brutality by using it to help him recruit. 

“For me personally, I don’t take any joy in trying to get rich off what was probably one of the most horrific moments of my life, seeing George Floyd murdered,” Collins said. 

“What’s going on in the world has sparked interest in trying to make sure the African-American community is stronger, so naturally you’re going to have people talk about going to HBCUs as part of that. That’s fine, but you’re not going to see me use that to my advantage. You’re not going to see me say that’s why you should come play for me. You’re going to come play for us because if your dream is to become a doctor or a lawyer, we can make that happen. Or if your dream is to play in the NBA, we can make that happen.”

Ask sports marketing experts whether Mikey Williams would benefit more fro picking a college basketball blue blood or an HBCU, and the answer may come as a surprise.

They say the novelty of a marquee player making such an unprecedented decision would surpass the heavy media exposure he’d receive elsewhere. 

At Duke, Kansas or Kentucky, he’d just be the next man up. At an HBCU, he’d have the chance to leave a lasting impression.

“An elite athlete blazing a path there would be a unique move, garnering significant attention, making him a standout, and building a huge following,” said Bob Dorfman, executive director of San Francisco-based Baker Street Advertising.  “Which, assuming the athlete lives up to his potential, would lead to major marketing and endorsement dollars.”

That fact is surely not lost on Williams, who might be even more savvy as a marketer than he is explosive with a basketball in his hands. 

He already had more than one million Instagram followers before he played his first game at San Ysidro High School in San Diego. He now has a following of more than two million, including the likes of Drake, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

“Mikey is changing the narrative on his recruitment,” Udo-Uma said. “Small schools and big schools all have a chance. He knows he can play basketball anywhere.”

In many ways, Williams checks all the boxes for the type of elite prospect who might consider an HBCU.

His mom attended Hampton University. His family has been talking about him possibly going to an HBCU for years. And above all else, he views himself as a trend setter, one who might prefer to lead an HBCU renaissance than go to a name-brand college program.

“Why does it always have to be the big names?” Williams wrote Wednesday on Instagram. “Have you ever thought about helping your own people out?? WE ARE THE REASON THAT THESE SCHOOLS HAVE SUCH BIG NAMES AND SUCH GOOD HISTORY..But in the end what do we get out of it??”