Williams' father, Mahlon, played basketball for
Sweetwater High School, where he was an All-CIF-SDS selection. His mother, Charisse, played
softball for
Kearny High School and
Hampton University.
San Diego County Sheriff's Office's Lieutenant Gavin Lanning said Williams is likely to face only one charge, carrying a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison (minimum six months). On April 14, 2023, the University of Memphis released a statement saying, "We are aware of the situation and are gathering more information." On April 20, 2023, Williams pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Due to security concerns, his attorney said the court appearance was virtual. Williams is accused of violating California penal code Chapter 9, Section 245(a)(2), which involves "any person who commits an assault upon the person of another with a firearm." According to police, Williams fired a gun at a car full of people following an altercation at his residence. Each count can carry up to four years in prison. Williams was initially required to appear either in-person or virtually on June 29, 2023, for a preliminary hearing, but the hearing was subsequently rescheduled to July 12, 2023, after his legal team told a judge they needed more time after receiving additional information regarding the incident. On July 6, 2023, his hearing was postponed for a second time in less than a month, with a new hearing date scheduled for September 5, 2023. On September 5, 2023, the hearing was postponed for a third time, until October 10, 2023. As a result of the hearing, Judge Sherry M. Thompson-Taylor ordered Williams to stand trial on six felony gun charges and scheduled his arraignment for October 24, 2023. Judge Thompson-Taylor denied the prosecution's request to increase Williams' bail to $500,000 and allowed Williams to remain free on a $50,000 bond. During his October 24 arraignment, three additional felony charges were filed against Williams: one count of assault with a weapon and two counts of making threats. On November 30, 2023, Williams pled guilty to one charge. Williams was ordered to deal with his misdemeanor by taking classes.
Social media and endorsements Williams has established a large social media following. He had over one million
Instagram followers before starting high school. By the end of his freshman year of high school, he had almost 2 million followers on Instagram, including musician
Drake and
NBA players
LeBron James and
Kevin Durant. Williams had accumulated 3.2 million followers on Instagram by the end of his sophomore year in high school. On July 22, 2021, Williams signed a contract with Excel Sports Management to pursue
Name, Image and Likeness endorsement opportunities. On October 28, 2021, Williams signed a multi-year endorsement deal with
Puma, making him the first American high school basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with a global footwear company, at 17 years old. Puma ended Williams' endorsement deal as a result of his pending legal issues. ==References==