The University of Central Florida (“UCF”) basketball program landed several high-caliber transfers heading into its 2024-25 season by doing something most other programs don’t: giving young athletes a second chance.[2] While some coaches may write off players with criminal backgrounds, UCF has allowed them the opportunity to re-spark their careers.[3] By focusing on young players’ potential and not their pasts, UCF has acquired two former five-star high school prospects, both previously ranked by some as top-10 players in the nation.[4]
Five-Star Talent
UCF’s most notable transfer, Mikey Williams, is no stranger to the public eye. Williams was quickly regarded as the best middle school basketball player in the nation back in 2018 after impressive performances against players like Bronny James.[5] By the age of 17, Williams had accumulated over five million followers across social media platforms and became the first prep basketball player to sign an NIL deal with a major agency.[6] The agreement with Excel Sports was expected to generate millions for Williams, who had become a viral sensation.[7] At one point, according to ESPN, Williams was the No.7 overall high school prospect in the 2023 class and was regarded as one of the most relevant personalities in the greater basketball community.[8]
Another notable addition for UCF is a former five-star recruit and No. 3 ranked point guard in the nation, Dior Johnson.[9] Johnson, like Williams, rose to national prominence at a very young age due to his exceptional talent and offensive ability.[10] As a 14-year-old eighth grader playing on a varsity high school team, Johnson racked up over 1,000 points before graduating middle school.[11]By 2022, Johnson’s large following led to a NIL valuation of $522,000.[12] The valuation was the fourth highest among high school basketball players at the time, behind only Mikey Williams, Bronny James, and Amari Bailey.[13]
UCF?
On the surface, seeing players like Wiliams and Johnson end up at UCF may confuse some, considering their esteemed resumes may not align with the school’s basketball pedigree. There’s no doubt the young program has come a long way from its first season (1969-70) when the team played its home games in an Orlando high school gym.[14] The team is now a member of the competitive Big 12 Conference after transferring from the ACC last season and shocked many when they defeated number three-ranked Kansas last year.[15]
Even so, landing such high-caliber players is unprecedented for this program, considering UCF had never welcomed a five-star high school prospect until this season when they landed the No.1 ranked center in the country, Moustapha Thiam.[16] A significant reason UCF was able to land transfers like Williams and Johnson is that, unlike Thiam, they didn’t join the team straight out of high school.[17] Both Williams and Johnson had committed to other programs that they never ended up playing for because of their respective legal issues.[18]
Detours, Not Dead-Ends
Williams committed to play basketball for the University of Memphis (“Memphis”) under coach Penny Hardaway in November of 2022.[19] However, before his first season, Williams was unfortunately involved in an incident where he allegedly shot at a vehicle with six occupants at his home in California.[20] He was arrested and faced nine felony counts, which carried a potential sentence of over 30 years in prison.[21] Williams reached a plea deal that would reduce the charges to a single misdemeanor if he did not violate any laws and completed community service, anger management, and gun safety courses before his sentencing date in August 2024.[22]
Like Williams, Johnson’s collegiate basketball career was delayed because of a criminal case prior to his first season.[23] Johnson committed to play for the University of Pittsburgh (“Pitt”) in June of 2022.[24] However, Johnson was arrested and charged with assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and strangulation for his alleged involvement in an altercation with a woman.[25]Johnson was ultimately suspended indefinitely from team activities during his case.[26]
Double-Double Jeopardy
Williams ended up receiving one-year probation and a 10-year gun restriction at his sentencing date two months ago.[27] Johnson pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and strangulation to receive a year of probation.[28] However, while courts reached verdicts on Williams and Johnson’s criminal cases, their schools still had to determine whether the students’ actions violated the student-athlete code of conduct, rendering them ineligible.
Most schools have strict eligibility rules based on athletes’ off-court behavior, and often, they are more stringent than standard student codes.[29] Whether this is fair or not, athletes’ actions usually gain public traction and have severe ramifications on their schools’ reputations.[30] Therefore, when long-standing public figures such as Williams and Johnson were involved in criminal cases, it made sense that their schools faced heightened scrutiny.[31]
Memphis denied Williams access to team facilities or activities while he was awaiting his sentencing.[32] During this time, he learned that a Memphis committee was also reviewing whether he would be allowed to play in the following 2024-25 season.[33] To avoid the risk of missing a second straight season, Williams preemptively decided to leave Memphis in January 2024 before they could rule on his eligibility.[34]
Unlike Memphis, Pitt had the chance to reach its eligibility decision and dismissed Johnson three days before the Fall 2023 semester.[35] The ruling was based on an investigation that revealed Johnson’s involvement in the incident violated the Student Code of Conduct.[36] Johnson played his 2023-24 season at a junior college in Texas, where he averaged almost 30 points per game and received interest from several high-level programs.[37]
Fresh Starts
Some have criticized UCF for overlooking Williams and Johnson’s criminal pasts and are concerned that the program isn’t doing its job to hold these young men accountable.[38] Others appreciate a good comeback story and don’t believe anyone should be defined by their past mistakes, especially inexperienced college students.[39] While it doesn’t excuse their actions, it’s important to note that Williams and Johnson were both under 20 years old when these events occurred.[40]
Many will look to Head Coach Johnny Dawkins to provide the team with the structure and discipline to keep its players out of trouble and on the court.[41] Dawkins has stressed the importance of giving young athletes second chances and has openly supported UCF’s decision to provide Williams and Johnson with a shot at redemption.[42] “[T]hings happen, unfortunately, in our lives. And if we were in a world where no one got second chances, I don't know where any of us would be right now,” said Dawkins when asked about the unique situation.[43]
Whether Dawkins can create a cohesive, bought-in squad remains to be seen. However, fans appear optimistic as the program has sold more season tickets than ever before.[44] Only nine players in UCF's history have moved on to the NBA, but if Williams and Johnson can meet their once-high expectations, the league may be welcoming two more Knights in the near future.[45]
Jacob Goldstein (staff writer) is a 2L at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, where he is also a member of the Sports Law Concentration and the Philanthropy Chair of the Sports Law Society. As a basketball enthusiast, he plans to pursue a career in player representation and hopes to use his legal skills to assist athletes navigate the professional sports world.
References:
[1] Hershey, Ben. “Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash.” Photo – Free Basketball Image on Unsplash, 18 Feb. 2018, unsplash.com/photos/wilson-ncaa-basketball-on-black-board-5nk3wSFUWZc.
[2] “2024-25 Men’s Basketball.” UCF Athletics - Official Athletics Website, ucfknights.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster.
[3] King, JD. “Johnny Dawkins Cranks up the Risk Factor at UCF.” Duke Basketball Report, Duke Basketball Report, 30 June 2024,
www.dukebasketballreport.com/2024/6/30/24189183/johnny-dawkins-duke-basketball-blue-devils-ucf-mikey-willia ms-dior-johnson-jeff-capel-big-12.
[4] Givony, Jonathan. “Dior Johnson, No. 15-Ranked Player in ESPN’s 2022 HS Rankings, Commits to Oregon.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 22 June 2021, www.espn.com/recruiting/basketball/story/_/id/31687280/dior-johnson-no-15-ranked-player-espn-2022-hs-rankings-commits-oregon, and Wojnarowski, Adrian. “Mikey Williams Signs with Excel Sports for Nil Deal Expected to ‘generate Millions’ for High School Basketball Star.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 22 July 2021, www.espn.com/high-school/story/_/id/31861613/mikey-williams-signs-excel-sports-nil-deal-expected-generate-millions-high-school-basketball-star.
[5] Eisenberg, Jeff. “The Rise and Fall of Mikey Williams.” Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo!, 30 Nov. 2023, sports.yahoo.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-mikey-williams-145149876.html.
[6] Beer, Tommy. “First High School Mega-Deal: Basketball Phenom Signs Three Years before He Can Join NBA.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 July 2021, www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/07/22/first-high-school-mega-deal-basketball-phenom-signs-3-years-before-he-can-join-nba/.
[7] Wojnarowski, Adrian. “Mikey Williams Signs with Excel Sports for Nil Deal Expected to ‘generate Millions’ for High School Basketball Star.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 22 July 2021, www.espn.com/high-school/story/_/id/31861613/mikey-williams-signs-excel-sports-nil-deal-expected-generate-millions-high-school-basketball-star.
[8] Id.
[9] Neel, Zachary. “Oregon Ducks Land 5-Star Point Guard Dior Johnson, No. 3 Guard in the Nation.” Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo!, 22 June 2021, sports.yahoo.com/oregon-ducks-land-5-star-182025391.html.
[10] Hopkins, Cody. “Clarendon’s Dior Johnson Discusses Past, Present and Future.” JucoRecruiting.Com (An Elite Basketball Services (EBS) Company), 14 March 2024, www.jucorecruiting.com/news_article/show/1304004.
[11] Id.
[12] Pope, Keegan. “5-Star Guard Dior Johnson Nabs Large Nil Valuation from On3.” On3, 7 January 2022, www.on3.com/news/5-star-dior-johnson-nabs-large-nil-valuation-from-on3/.
[13] Id.
[14] “Men’s Basketball Record Book.” UCF Athletics - Official Athletics Website, ucfknights.com/sports/mens-basketball.
[15] Heisler, John, and Jenna Marina Lee. “UCF Athletics’ Eras.” University of Central Florida News | UCF Today, 29 June 2023, www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-athletics-eras/#:~:text=On%20July%201%2C%202023%2C%20UCF,join%20the%20Big%2012%20Conference.
[16] Landis, Ken. “Top-Ranked Center Moustapha Thiam Reclasses to Join Men’s Hoops in 2024-25.” UCF Athletics - Official Athletics Website, 5 June 2024, ucfknights.com/news/2024/06/5/top-ranked-center-moustapha-thiam-reclasses-to-join-mens-hoops-in-2024-25.
[17] Salerno, Cameron. “Dior Johnson, the Well-Traveled, Formerly Highly Touted Recruit, Commits to Johnny Dawkins’ UCF Knights.” CBSSports.Com, 2 July 2024, www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/dior-johnson-the-well-traveled-formerly-highly-touted-recruit-commits-to-johnny-dawkins-ucf-knights/.
[18] Id.
[19] Eisenberg, Jeff. “Attorney: Mikey Williams Chose to Transfer Because Memphis Did Not Make His Return ‘a Priority.’” Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo!, 11 Jan. 2024, sports.yahoo.com/attorney-mikey-williams-chose-to-transfer-because-memphis-did-not-make-his-return-a-priority-142810777.html.
[20] Rossen, Adam. “Mikey Williams Plea Deal: Navigating the Legal Landscape.” Rossen Law Firm, 22 August 2024, www.rossenlawfirm.com/blog/mikey-williams-plea-deal-navigating-the-legal-landscape/.
[21] Id.
[22] Page, Eric S. “Former San Diego Basketball Star Mikey Williams Sentenced in Shooting Case.” NBC 7 San Diego, NBC San Diego, 12 August 2024, www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/former-san-diego-basketball-star-mikey-williams-sentenced-in-shooting-case/3595660/.
[23] Salerno, Cameron. “Dior Johnson, the Well-Traveled, Formerly Highly Touted Recruit, Commits to Johnny Dawkins’ UCF Knights.” CBSSports.Com, 2 July 2024, www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/dior-johnson-the-well-traveled-formerly-highly-touted-recruit-commits-to-johnny-dawkins-ucf-knights/.
[24] Givony, Jonathan. “ESPN 100 Guard Dior Johnson Commits to Join Pittsburgh Men’s Basketball Program, Knowing It’s ‘Where I Needed to Be.’” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 13 June 2022, www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/34085663/espn-100-guard-dior-johnson-commits-join-pittsburgh-men-basketball-program-knowing-where-needed-be.
[25] Hiles, Noah, and Christopher Carter. “A Closer Look into Dior Johnson’s Dismissal from the University of Pittsburgh.” Gazette, 7 September 2023, www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2023/09/07/dior-johnson-pitt-basketball-dismissed-explained/stories/202309030082.
[26] Id.
[27] White, Delaney. Mikey Williams: Star Basketball Player Sentenced after Shooting at His Home in Jamul, 12 August 2024, fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/star-basketball-player-mikey-williams-sentenced-after-shooting-at-his-home-in-jamul/.
[28] Hiles, Noah, and Christopher Carter. “A Closer Look into Dior Johnson’s Dismissal from the University of Pittsburgh.” Gazette, 7 September 2023, www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2023/09/07/dior-johnson-pitt-basketball-dismissed-explained/stories/202309030082.
[29] Yeban, Jade. “College Athletes and Crime: What Happens When Players Break the Law? .” Findlaw.Com, 14 July 2023, www.findlaw.com/education/higher-education/college-athletes-and-crime-what-happens-when-players-break-the-l.html.
[30] Id.
[31] Folts, Emma. “Does Pitt’s Response to Dior Johnson Put Sport above Survivors?” PublicSource, 17 January 2023, www.publicsource.org/university-pittsburgh-pitt-dior-johnson-domestic-violence-assault-survivor-panthers/.
[32] Eisenberg, Jeff. “Attorney: Mikey Williams Chose to Transfer Because Memphis Did Not Make His Return ‘a Priority.’” Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo!, 11 January 2024, sports.yahoo.com/attorney-mikey-williams-chose-to-transfer-because-memphis-did-not-make-his-return-a-priority-142810777.html.
[33] Id.
[34] Id.
[35] Hiles, Noah, and Christopher Carter. “A Closer Look into Dior Johnson’s Dismissal from the University of Pittsburgh.” Gazette, 7 September 2023, www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2023/09/07/dior-johnson-pitt-basketball-dismissed-explained/stories/202309030082.
[36] Id.
[37] Campbell, Dominic. “Former Pitt G Dior Johnson Lands in the Big 12.” Pittsburgh Panthers On SI, Sports Illustrated, 1 July 2024, www.si.com/college/pittsburgh/posts/former-pitt-panthers-g-dior-johnson-lands-in-the-big-12-ucf.
[38] Meyer, Craig. “Is UCF Becoming College Basketball’s Last Chance U?” Is UCF Becoming College Basketball’s Last Chance U?, The Front Porch, 10 July 2024, frontporchsports.substack.com/p/is-ucf-becoming-college-basketballs.
[39] Id.
[40] Id.
[41] Id.
[42] Medcalf, Myron. “Mikey Williams Been ‘terrific’ in Transition to UCF, Coach Says.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 23 October 2024, www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/41961493/mikey-williams-terrific-transition-ucf-coach-says.
[43] Id.
[44] “UCF Men’s Hoops Boasts Record Season Ticket Sales - and It’s Still Counting.” Black & Gold Banneret, Black & Gold Banneret, 23 August 2024, www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/2024/8/23/24226308/ucf-knights-mens-hoops-boasts-record-season-ticket-sales-and-its-still-counting-big12.
[45] “Players Who Played for Central Florida.” Basketball-Reference.Com, www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=cflorida.