Former Memphis basketball signee Mikey Williams decided to enter the transfer portal because the Tigers did not make his situation a "priority," according to a statement from his lawyer, Troy Owens, that was obtained by On3.

The 6-foot-3 freshman guard, who spent much of the past year embroiled in an ongoing legal battle after his April 2023 arrest on felony gun charges, announced plans to enter the transfer portal this week. Memphis released a statement Monday saying the process for him to join the team was underway.

“We can confirm Mikey Williams has chosen to enter the transfer portal," the statement reads. "The University process for him to join the men’s basketball program was underway, but Williams elected to explore his options at this time.”

Williams has been listed on the Tigers' roster all season but has not actually joined the team.

He was arrested last year and initially faced nine felony charges related to a shooting outside his San Diego-area home. Williams pled guilty to the initial charges. But in November, he agreed to a plea deal, pleading guilty to only one felony count of making criminal threats. As part of the deal, the charge is to be reduced to a misdemeanor upon sentencing on Aug. 12 if Williams completes and adheres to a host of conditions.

Owens did not immediately respond to an email from the Commercial Appeal seeking comment.

In the statement to On3, Owens said Williams had not received responses from Memphis about his status.

“Weeks went by and Mr. Williams stopped receiving responses from the University,” Owens said in the statement. “It became clear to Mr. Williams that having him play this season was not a priority for the University. What was even more frustrating was that Mr. Williams learned that the committee [review] was also going to decide whether, or not, he would be allowed to play in the 2024-2025 season even after being sentenced to a misdemeanor."

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway voiced support for Williams throughout the process, but Williams never joined the team. Owens said in the statement that Williams decided to enter the transfer portal to ensure he's able to play college basketball in the 2024-2025 season.

“Remaining on the roster at the University of Memphis meant that, had the committee ruled that Mr. Williams could NOT play in the 2024-2025 season, he faced the possibility of missing two years of basketball,” Owens' statement said, according to On3. “This was not something that Mr. Williams was willing to risk.”

After news broke that Williams planned to enter the transfer portal, Williams' father Mahlon Williams told the Commercial Appeal on Monday that the decision was not about anything that happened at Memphis.

"Just getting a new start," Mahlon Williams said. "You know, that's all that is. Nothing more than that."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Lawyer explains Mikey Williams' decision to leave Memphis basketball