Former NBA ROY Michael Carter-Williams to Make Boxing Debut in May 29 Fight

2014 NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams is set to try his hand at another sport.

Per ESPN's Andreas Hale, the 33-year-old Carter-Williams will make his amateur boxing debut on May 29 at the Leman Ballroom in New York against 36-year-old Sam Khativ in a three-round heavyweight bout.

Carter-Williams' debut will be featured at the Broad Street Brawl, an event that will raise funds for the nonprofit organization Bigvision Community, which is dedicated to supporting young adults recovering from substance abuse.

"[Carter-Williams] came on my radar about two months ago," Ronson Frank of Uprising Promotions told Hale. "One of the fighters initially who signed up to fight at the event recommended Carter-Williams as somebody who might be interested, and we were connected. He thought the cause was really good, and wanted to be a part of it."

Frank added that he believes this won't be a one-off for Carter-Williams, who does his boxing training in Florida.

"It all depends on how this one goes," Frank said. "He is very prideful, athletic, and I think he can do well as an amateur fighter. If he's going pro, then that's a whole different animal. You have to be a world-class athlete to make it in the NBA, and if he has that same dedication to boxing, along with his natural athletic ability, he has the potential to do well."

Carter-Williams entered the NBA as the No. 11 pick in the 2013 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Syracuse alum made an immediate impact, averaging 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.9 steals during the 2013-14 campaign on his way to earning Rookie of the Year honors. Unfortunately, he struggled to maintain that level of production and bounced around the league with stops with the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic.

Carter-Williams made his last NBA appearance in 2023 and formally announced his retirement in October 2024. He will now look to make his mark in the boxing ring, starting with next month's showcase.