Seventeen-year-old basketball sensation Mikey Williams has inked a historic multiyear endorsement deal with Puma.
Williams is now the first American high school basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with a global footwear and apparel company.
“I am excited to join the Puma family this early in my basketball journey,” Williams said via ESPN. “Puma really understands how to mix hoops and culture, two things I am passionate about.”
He will not be eligible to join the league until the 2024 NBA draft.
However, he is ranked as the 11th-best prospect in his high school class and already has 10 scholarship offers from college programs. Williams is currently a junior at the newly formed Vertical Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina, founded by his father, Mahlon Williams. Williams is rated the No. 14 overall prospect in the class of 2023 and the second-best combo guard in the class nationally.
“His talent on the court and his ability to connect with young athletes and fans alike will help drive hoops culture forward and inspire the next generation of athletes,” Adam Petrick, global director of brand and marketing at Puma, said in a statement.
The rising basketball star boasts over five million social media followers. He announced the news to his followers by posting a “Not Yet Rated” video to his Instagram.
“???? Excited to join the @puma fam ????,” he captioned the post.
Williams joins Puma’s basketball roster of 25 athletes, which includes WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Skylar Diggins-Smith and NBA players such as LaMelo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Deandre Ayton.
