Mikey Williams Transfer Portal: Top 5 landing spots for UCF guard feat. USC 

Mikey Williams will be playing for a new college team next season. The 20-year-old star entered the transfer portal on Monday after a one-season stint with the UCF Knights.

Williams, who was once a five-star recruit for Memphis before transferring to UCF, averaged 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.4 steals through 18 games in his first year with the Knights. The freshman guard made just five starts under coach Johnny Dawkins, averaging 14.0 minutes per contest in the 2024-25 NCAA season.

Here are the top five landing spots for Williams, who will be looking to make a fresh start in the 2025-26 season.

---

Mikey Williams' potential transfer portal landing spots

#5 Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have already proven their might in the NIL era of college basketball, signing prized recruits Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey ahead of the 2024-25 season. The projected top-five picks in this year's NBA Draft posted impressive individual stats in their freshman seasons, but they weren't enough to lead Rutgers to the NCAA Tournament.

With Harper and Bailey leaving after just one season, the Scarlet Knights again will be on the lookout for top players coming out of high school and in the transfer portal. Don't rule out a move to New Jersey for Mikey Williams if the Scarlet Knights try signing him this offseason.

#4. Arizona State Sun Devils

Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley reacts during the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Photo: Imagn

Arizona State was also mentioned as one of the teams that tried to sign Mikey Williams before his legal problems emerged. The Sun Devils may look to participate again in the Williams sweepstakes after finishing the 2024-25 season with a 13-19 overall record, including a 4-16 slate in the Big 12 Conference.

Arizona State fans will be looking for reinforcements to boost the Sun Devils' lineup in the 2025-26 season. Coach Bobby Hurley's team last qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2023.

#3. San Diego State Aztecs

Williams was born and raised in San Diego, California, so this potential move is an enticing one for the former San Ysidro High School star and his family. The San Diego State Aztecs are one of the best college teams in the Golden State, having reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last five seasons, including a national championship game appearance in 2023.

The Aztecs have an opening in the guard position following Wayne McKinney's exit. He played his final college game in the NCAA First Four, where San Diego State lost 95-68 to North Carolina on Tuesday night.

#2. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas was another school that tried to land Williams after high school. One of the Jayhawks' assistant coaches paid a visit to the prized recruit in San Diego in 2022 before he decided to commit to Memphis.

A lot has changed since Kansas' initial interest in Williams. His move to the Tigers didn't push through after he was arrested and charged in a gun case. He moved to UCF after reaching a plea deal, but he didn't live up to the hype in his first season with the Knights.

The Kansas Jayhawks are coming off another disappointing season as they failed to reach the Sweet 16 for a third straight year. The Jayhawks may look to add Mikey Williams to create some buzz ahead of the 2025-26 NCAA season and see if they can unlock his potential.

#1. USC Trojans

USC Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts to the action in the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Photo: Imagn

The USC Trojans were among the teams that tried to recruit Mikey Williams before he committed to the Memphis Tigers. The Trojans may be enticed to link up with Williams again after they endured a disappointing campaign this season.

They finished tied for 12th in the Big Ten standings, finishing the regular season with a 7-13 record in the conference. Coach Eric Musselman failed to bring USC back to the NCAA Tournament in his first season with the Trojans, who missed the Big Dance for a second straight year.

Playing college basketball in his home state would make the switch a whole lot easier for Williams, who grew up in San Diego.