Expert picks placed for four-star teammates Mikey Williams and JJ Taylor
On Thursday, On3 reported that Mikey Williams and JJ Taylor would be visiting Memphis this weekend. The signing period starts next Wednesday, November 6, and sources close to the recruitment say the four-star San Diego (CA) Ysidro teammates are looking to sign early.
After continuing to collect intel and talking to people close to the recruitment, I put my expert pick into On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) for both Mikey Williams and JJ Taylor to commit to Memphis. I gave both players a 60 confidence score.
While sources say that a commitment did not happen prior to the visit, things have been trending toward the Tigers. The indication is this trip was scheduled with the intention of being the icing on the cake.
Mikey Williams took a previous official visit to Kansas. JJ Taylor took a previous official visit to Kentucky.
Williams’ On3 NIL Valuation is worth millions
Mikey Williams has an On3 NIL Valuation of $3.5M, making him the second-most valuable high school athlete in the name, image, and likeness era, only behind Bronny James. Mikey is the No. 2 player in On3’s NIL 100, which ranks high school and college football and men’s basketball players. The On3 NIL 100 is the first of its kind and the defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes based on projected market valuation.
Mikey Williams’ massive multi-million dollar On3 NIL Valuation is largely because of his huge followings on Instagram (3.8 million followers) and TikTok (2.1 million followers).
In October of 2021, Mikey Williams became the first American high school basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with a global footwear company (Puma). His multi-year deal at the age of 17 puts him on the same product team as other basketball stars like Breanna Stewart, Skylar Diggins-Smith, LaMelo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Deandre Ayton.
Williams scouting report
Mikey Williams is a strong framed guard whose shot-making ability and athletic explosion have brought him viral success. He has a good handle and is able to get into his spots in the half-court. He has an array of step-backs and fadeaways that help to create space. His motor and motivation are the question marks, never the talent. When he does turn it on, he is capable of carrying a game; you just never know when that will happen. It is fascinating to see how the crowd reacts to Williams.
Taylor’s scouting report
JJ Taylor has an impressive frame. great length and is very projectable. He has some explosive pop in there too. Taylor can shoot the ball with range beyond the three-point arc. He can fall too in love with that three-ball at times as well. Shot selection and decision-making can be an issue in the half-court. He is great in transition, covers a lot of ground with his strides, and can get high above the rim. As the game gets fast and he is getting up and down and reacting, he is at his best. Needs to develop his handle in the half-court, and too many times he settles for jumpers instead of using his physical tools to attack the rim. There is upside on the defensive end but oftentimes finds himself unengaged. We keep using the word, upside, as that is very clear in Taylor’s game. It is just a matter of turning that potential into consistent effort and production for the four-star wing.