Former NBA Star Michael Carter-Williams to Debut in Boxing

Syracuse, N.Y. — Former Syracuse basketball standout Michael Carter-Williams is set to step into the boxing ring for his amateur debut on May 29 in New York City. The fight, part of the Broad Street Brawl, will take place at the Léman Ballroom and is organized by Uprising Promotions.

Ronson Frank, the founder of Uprising Promotions, expressed his excitement about having Carter-Williams participate. “You do not get to the top of the game like he did in basketball without being a seriously hard worker,” Frank said in a statement. “I am curious to see how his athletic ability transitions into boxing.”

The event aims to raise funds for Bigvision Community, a nonprofit that supports young adults in recovery from substance abuse. For Carter-Williams, 33, this is a significant career pivot, as he has been involved in basketball analysis and is part of a sports ownership group with actor Donnie Wahlberg.

Carter-Williams was a member of Syracuse’s 2013 Final Four team and was drafted 11th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he won NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2014. Throughout his nine-season NBA career, he played for the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks before briefly joining the Mexico City Capitanes.

His basketball career has since concluded, but Carter-Williams is looking forward to exploring boxing. He last played in 2023 and has confirmed his retirement from professional basketball.