One mistake could derail your entire career, and few would know it better than Mikey Williams. For those unaware, Williams was arrested in 2023 for allegedly firing at a car occupied by several people outside his Jamul home. The legal battle that followed ended with him receiving one year of summary probation, and his felony criminal threats conviction was later reduced to a misdemeanor. Although his legal troubles found some closure, his basketball dreams took a serious hit. Williams had a shot at learning under Penny Hardaway—an opportunity many young players would kill for. But because of his situation, that door slammed shut.

The regret still lingers, and Williams made it clear during his recent appearance on The Pivot. He didn’t just lose time—he lost a chance to be mentored by one of the greats.

“I was for sure, like, excited about it and just playing for Penny… Penny’s great… I know that he had a lot to teach me… I wanted to learn a lot from him, too, and just kind of be in an environment where it’s a pro,” Williams admitted. The reality of it all hit him hard. “It definitely hurt… Especially just not playing basketball.”

And it’s not hard to see why. At one point, Williams was staring down the possibility of decades in prison for the March 27, 2023, non-injury shooting. Thankfully for him, a guilty plea in the fall of 2023 spared him from a worse fate. As part of his plea deal, he avoided harsher charges, but it came with conditions. 80 hours of volunteer work, anger management, and gun safety courses, all while staying out of trouble.

But while the legal damage was minimized, the basketball consequences weren’t. Williams never got to suit up for the Memphis Tigers. Even though he remained enrolled in online classes and was technically on the roster, he was kept away from team facilities and activities while his case played out in a San Diego courtroom.

Now, even though Williams missed basketball guidance from Hardaway, he did not lack support from the NBA legend despite his legal issues.

Penny Hardaway had backed Williams’ decision to transfer

Hardaway has never been one to hold a grudge. And he proved that again when he backed Mikey Williams’ decision to transfer from the University of Memphis. “He has the right to do what he needs to do for himself, and I wish him well,” Hardaway said. Simple, direct, and full of respect.

However, Williams’ situation wasn’t that simple for everyone. As mentioned earlier, the young guard never actually played, practiced, or officially joined the Tigers after signing with the program in November 2022. And when he decided to look elsewhere for opportunities, some Memphis fans weren’t too thrilled. Many took to social media to call him out, believing he turned his back on Hardaway—especially after the coach had publicly supported him through his legal troubles.

Hardaway, however, didn’t see it that way. “I’d do it again, to be very honest with you,” he said. “That’s what I’m in this business for – to stick my neck out on the line for kids and young men, and hope that they appreciate it.”

That’s exactly why players respect the NBA legend. He still believes Williams has a bright future ahead and had even hoped to coach him himself. All we are left with now is the imagination of what could have been of Williams had he been trained by Penny Hardaway.