O. J. Mayo
Encyclopedia
Ovinton J'Anthony "O. J." Mayo (born November 5, 1987 in Huntington, West Virginia
), is an American
basketball
player currently playing with the Memphis Grizzlies
of the NBA
. He signed with the team on July 8, 2008. He played college basketball
for the University of Southern California
(USC). As an athlete at Huntington High School
and North College Hill High School
in Cincinnati, he was considered by several media outlets to be the best high school basketball player in the United States.
He chose to enter the 2008 NBA Draft
instead of completing his three remaining years of college eligibility; when he chose Bill Duffy and Associates as his agency, he lost his NCAA eligibility. He was taken third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves
on June 26, 2008. Following the draft, Minnesota traded him and three other players to the Grizzlies in exchange for Kevin Love
and three players.
Mayo was a part of the 2008 U.S. Select Team to help get the Olympic team ready for the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing.
in Ashland, Kentucky
. In Kentucky, grade schoolers can play high school basketball, and Mayo averaged 23.1 points for Rose Hill's varsity team while in seventh grade. In eighth grade, he tallied 20.5 points per game and was named a first-team all-state player by the Louisville Courier. Mayo then moved to suburban Cincinnati to live with grandfather Dwaine Barnes. Mayo was still in eighth grade when he enrolled at North College Hill High School
in April 2003. The Cincinnati Enquirer and local television stations sent reporters to cover Mayo's first day of school at NCH.
The 18-year-old junior guard was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio for the second consecutive season, in addition to being named Associated Press Division III Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He averaged nearly 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists per game. He also led his team to three consecutive AP poll titles and garnered much attention from the media, appearing in the pages of Sports Illustrated
among other publications. Much like another high school star from Ohio (St. Vincent–St. Mary High School), LeBron James
, Mayo drew large enough crowds to force his team into seeking larger venues to support the growing crowds, and often attracted National Basketball Association
stars such as James and Carmelo Anthony
to watch his games playing for the D-1 Greyhounds.
In February 2006, Mayo attracted the largest crowd to ever see a high school game in Cincinnati, Ohio
. 16,202 fans watched North College Hill fall to the nation's number one rated team, Oak Hill Academy
. Mayo had been considered a lock to make the leap straight from high school to the NBA, but the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and its players instituted a rule that a player must be at least a year out of high school before he can enter the NBA, effectively curtailing those plans. On July 5, 2006, it was reported by ESPN
that he would attend USC
. On July 8, however, WSAZ-TV
reported that USC was only one of three colleges that Mayo was considering: the other two being Kansas State University
and the University of Florida
.
Mayo enrolled at Huntington High School
in Huntington, West Virginia
for the 2006–07 school year. He formally committed to USC in November 2006.
In January 2007, Mayo allegedly assaulted referee Mike Lazo after being ejected from a Huntington High game vs. Capital High School at the Charleston Civic Center
. According to West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission
rules, Mayo was suspended for two games. However, due to allegations supported by video evidence that Lazo had overreacted and faked the incident, a temporary restraining order was signed by Cabell County
Circuit Court Judge Dan O'Hanlan, temporarily lifting the suspensions on Mayo and five other players suspended due to incidents at that game. However, shortly after, the restraining order was nullified and Mayo was suspended for three games, a punishment that Mayo described as "fair".
On March 9, 2007, Mayo and three other men were cited by the Cabell County
Sheriff's Dept. for misdemeanor simple possession of marijuana. Officers found the cannabis in a car in which Mayo was a passenger and, since no one claimed possession, all occupants were ticketed. Charges against Mayo were dropped on March 12, 2007 after one of the other passengers in the vehicle took responsibility for the marijuana.
.
On March 17, 2007, Mayo led Huntington High School to its third consecutive Class AAA basketball championship in the state of West Virginia
with 103–61 rout of South Charleston. Mayo finished with a triple-double: 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. In his final moments with a minute left in the game, Mayo threw the ball off the backboard from the free-throw line, caught it in midair, and dunked. He then threw the ball deep into the stands and held up three fingers, a reference to Huntington High's three-straight basketball state championships.
He graduated in May 2007 and signed a letter of intent
to enroll at USC. He scored a 29 on the ACT, placing him in the 95th percentile nationally.
a soft verbal commitment to play for them, but retracted it when head coach Bob Huggins
announced he would take the same position at West Virginia. Frank Martin, by whom Mayo was recruited, was named head coach. Former teammate at North College Hill High School
Bill Walker
opted to stay and play for Martin.
Mayo enrolled at the University of Southern California
in Summer 2007, taking two classes. While waiting for the season to begin, he began playing pickup basketball against current NBA
players Kobe Bryant
, Sam Cassell
, Kevin Garnett
, Mike Dunleavy, Jr.
, D. J. Augustin
, Jason Kidd
, Adam Morrison
, and J. J. Redick.
In the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
, the Trojans lost to UCLA
, featuring Kevin Love
and Russell Westbrook
, in the semi-finals. Both Mayo and Love were selected to the All Pac-10 tournament team. In his NCAA Tournament
debut with the Trojans, Mayo scored 20 points as USC was beaten by Kansas State
and freshman Michael Beasley
and old high school teammate Bill Walker.
Mayo did not return for his sophomore season, opting to instead enter the 2008 NBA draft.
reported that a former "confidant", Louis Johnson, revealed on ESPN's TV show Outside the Lines
that Mayo received numerous gifts in violation of NCAA rules. The report states that Mayo received the gifts from Rodney Guillory
before and during his tenure at USC. Guillory is said to have received the money from the Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management (BDA). On May 2, 2008, Mayo cut ties with BDA. He then hired Leon Rose
to be his agent.
In April 2009, the NCAA combined its investigations of Mayo and former running back Reggie Bush
into a single probe of the Trojans' athletic program.
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
. Later that day, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
, along with Marko Jaric
, Antoine Walker
, and Greg Buckner
, swapping them for the 5th overall pick Kevin Love
, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal
, and Jason Collins
. In his NBA Summer League
debut, Mayo had 15 points to lead the Grizzlies to an 88–75 win over the New Orleans Hornets. During his rookie season, Mayo scored 30 or more points seven times.
Mayo was the runner-up for the 2008–09 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
, finishing second behind Chicago Bulls
point guard Derrick Rose
.
over a debt from an in-flight card game.
On January 27, the NBA suspended Mayo for 10 games following a positive test for the steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
, which violates the league's anti-drug program. Mayo blamed an over the counter supplement that he didn't know was banned by the NBA for the positive test, but he declined to say which supplement he used. He later said an unnamed energy drink
he bought at a gas station contained the banned substance.
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 82 || 82 || 38.0 || .438 || .384 || .879 || 3.8 || 3.2 || 1.1 || .2 || 18.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 82 || 82 || 38.0 || .458 || .383 || .809 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 17.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 71 || 17 || 26.3 || .407 || .364 || .756 || 2.4 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .4 || 11.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 235 || 181 || 34.5 || .438 || .378 || .828 || 3.4 || 2.8 || 1.1 || .2 || 16.0
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Memphis
| 13 || 2 || 27.8 || .388 || .408 || .793 || 3.2 || 2.4 || .8 || .3 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 13 || 2 || 27.8 || .388 || .408 || .793 || 3.2 || 2.4 || .8 || .3 || 11.3
Mayo's half-brother, Todd, is a 2011-12 basketball recruit of Marquette University
.
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
), is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player currently playing with the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He signed with the team on July 8, 2008. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC). As an athlete at Huntington High School
Huntington High School (West Virginia)
Huntington High School is a four year high school located on top of a hill just outside of Huntington, West Virginia. It was established in 1996 through the consolidation of the old Huntington and Huntington East High Schools. The school has a student body of approximately 1600 students. Huntington...
and North College Hill High School
North College Hill High School
North College Hill High School is a Public High school in North College Hill, Ohio. It is the only high school in the North College Hill City Schools district and has an enrollment of approximately 400 to 450 students.-Athletics:...
in Cincinnati, he was considered by several media outlets to be the best high school basketball player in the United States.
He chose to enter the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
instead of completing his three remaining years of college eligibility; when he chose Bill Duffy and Associates as his agency, he lost his NCAA eligibility. He was taken third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
on June 26, 2008. Following the draft, Minnesota traded him and three other players to the Grizzlies in exchange for Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
and three players.
Mayo was a part of the 2008 U.S. Select Team to help get the Olympic team ready for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing.
High school
Mayo began playing high school basketball at Rose Hill Christian High SchoolRose Hill Christian High School
Rose Hill Christian High School is a private, non-profit Christian school operated by the Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky. Organized in 1980, the school draws students from several Kentucky counties, Ohio, and West Virginia....
in Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
. In Kentucky, grade schoolers can play high school basketball, and Mayo averaged 23.1 points for Rose Hill's varsity team while in seventh grade. In eighth grade, he tallied 20.5 points per game and was named a first-team all-state player by the Louisville Courier. Mayo then moved to suburban Cincinnati to live with grandfather Dwaine Barnes. Mayo was still in eighth grade when he enrolled at North College Hill High School
North College Hill High School
North College Hill High School is a Public High school in North College Hill, Ohio. It is the only high school in the North College Hill City Schools district and has an enrollment of approximately 400 to 450 students.-Athletics:...
in April 2003. The Cincinnati Enquirer and local television stations sent reporters to cover Mayo's first day of school at NCH.
The 18-year-old junior guard was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio for the second consecutive season, in addition to being named Associated Press Division III Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He averaged nearly 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists per game. He also led his team to three consecutive AP poll titles and garnered much attention from the media, appearing in the pages of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
among other publications. Much like another high school star from Ohio (St. Vincent–St. Mary High School), LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Mayo drew large enough crowds to force his team into seeking larger venues to support the growing crowds, and often attracted National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
stars such as James and Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
to watch his games playing for the D-1 Greyhounds.
In February 2006, Mayo attracted the largest crowd to ever see a high school game in Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. 16,202 fans watched North College Hill fall to the nation's number one rated team, Oak Hill Academy
Oak Hill Academy (Virginia)
Oak Hill Academy is a co-educational, private Baptist-affiliated secondary school in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, United States. Oak Hill's enrollment of approximately 150 students is 98% boarders, serving grades 8–12...
. Mayo had been considered a lock to make the leap straight from high school to the NBA, but the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and its players instituted a rule that a player must be at least a year out of high school before he can enter the NBA, effectively curtailing those plans. On July 5, 2006, it was reported by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
that he would attend USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. On July 8, however, WSAZ-TV
WSAZ-TV
WSAZ-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia. This area is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River consisting of 61 counties in Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southeastern Ohio. It broadcasts a high...
reported that USC was only one of three colleges that Mayo was considering: the other two being Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
and the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
.
Mayo enrolled at Huntington High School
Huntington High School (West Virginia)
Huntington High School is a four year high school located on top of a hill just outside of Huntington, West Virginia. It was established in 1996 through the consolidation of the old Huntington and Huntington East High Schools. The school has a student body of approximately 1600 students. Huntington...
in Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
for the 2006–07 school year. He formally committed to USC in November 2006.
In January 2007, Mayo allegedly assaulted referee Mike Lazo after being ejected from a Huntington High game vs. Capital High School at the Charleston Civic Center
Charleston Civic Center
The Charleston Civic Center is a municipal complex located in the downtown area of Charleston, West Virginia. Originally completed in 1959 at the cost of $2.5 million, the Charleston Civic Center has undergone numerous renovations and expansions...
. According to West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission
West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission
The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission is the main governing body of high school sports, cheerleading, and marching bands in West Virginia. Schools are divided into three classes by total enrollment in grades 9-11 only: A , AA , and AAA ...
rules, Mayo was suspended for two games. However, due to allegations supported by video evidence that Lazo had overreacted and faked the incident, a temporary restraining order was signed by Cabell County
Cabell County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 96,784 people, 41,180 households, and 25,490 families residing in the county. The population density was 344 people per square mile . There were 45,615 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile...
Circuit Court Judge Dan O'Hanlan, temporarily lifting the suspensions on Mayo and five other players suspended due to incidents at that game. However, shortly after, the restraining order was nullified and Mayo was suspended for three games, a punishment that Mayo described as "fair".
On March 9, 2007, Mayo and three other men were cited by the Cabell County
Cabell County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 96,784 people, 41,180 households, and 25,490 families residing in the county. The population density was 344 people per square mile . There were 45,615 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile...
Sheriff's Dept. for misdemeanor simple possession of marijuana. Officers found the cannabis in a car in which Mayo was a passenger and, since no one claimed possession, all occupants were ticketed. Charges against Mayo were dropped on March 12, 2007 after one of the other passengers in the vehicle took responsibility for the marijuana.
Awards and Honors
Mayo was selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association as the 2007 recipient of the Bill Evans Award for the state's boys basketball player of the year. Mayo led the state in scoring for the 2006–2007 season at 28.4 points per game. Runner-up in the voting was teammate Patrick PattersonPatrick Patterson (basketball)
Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia...
.
On March 17, 2007, Mayo led Huntington High School to its third consecutive Class AAA basketball championship in the state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
with 103–61 rout of South Charleston. Mayo finished with a triple-double: 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. In his final moments with a minute left in the game, Mayo threw the ball off the backboard from the free-throw line, caught it in midair, and dunked. He then threw the ball deep into the stands and held up three fingers, a reference to Huntington High's three-straight basketball state championships.
He graduated in May 2007 and signed a letter of intent
National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
to enroll at USC. He scored a 29 on the ACT, placing him in the 95th percentile nationally.
College
Mayo had given Kansas StateKansas State Wildcats men's basketball
The Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team represents Kansas State University in college basketball competition. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and is a member of the Big 12 Conference. The current head coach is Frank Martin....
a soft verbal commitment to play for them, but retracted it when head coach Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
announced he would take the same position at West Virginia. Frank Martin, by whom Mayo was recruited, was named head coach. Former teammate at North College Hill High School
North College Hill High School
North College Hill High School is a Public High school in North College Hill, Ohio. It is the only high school in the North College Hill City Schools district and has an enrollment of approximately 400 to 450 students.-Athletics:...
Bill Walker
Bill Walker (basketball)
William "Bill" Henry Walker is an American professional basketball player with the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association...
opted to stay and play for Martin.
Mayo enrolled at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in Summer 2007, taking two classes. While waiting for the season to begin, he began playing pickup basketball against current NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell
Samuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...
, Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
, Mike Dunleavy, Jr.
Mike Dunleavy, Jr.
Michael Joseph "Mike" Dunleavy, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association...
, D. J. Augustin
D. J. Augustin
Darryl Gerard "D. J." Augustin, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He played point guard for the University of Texas Longhorns from 2006–2008. He was drafted ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association in 2008...
, Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, Adam Morrison
Adam Morrison
Adam John Morrison is an American basketball player who is currently free agent after being released from KK Crvena zvezda....
, and J. J. Redick.
In the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
* Denotes a vacated win, as the result of a January 3, 2010 announcement that USC has vacated all wins during the 2007–2008 season, including its Pac-10 Conference Tournament victory over Arizona State ....
, the Trojans lost to UCLA
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, featuring Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
and Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, in the semi-finals. Both Mayo and Love were selected to the All Pac-10 tournament team. In his NCAA Tournament
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
debut with the Trojans, Mayo scored 20 points as USC was beaten by Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
and freshman Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley
Michael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
and old high school teammate Bill Walker.
Mayo did not return for his sophomore season, opting to instead enter the 2008 NBA draft.
Mayo Receives Improper Benefits
On May 11, 2008, ESPN.comESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
reported that a former "confidant", Louis Johnson, revealed on ESPN's TV show Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines, or also referred to as OTL, is an American television program on ESPN that looks "outside the lines" and examines critical issues in American sports on and off the field of play....
that Mayo received numerous gifts in violation of NCAA rules. The report states that Mayo received the gifts from Rodney Guillory
Rodney Guillory
Rodney Guillory is an event promoter based in Los Angeles. Guillory has been called "'the Mayor' of prep basketball in Southern California" due to his success at promoting basketball tournaments....
before and during his tenure at USC. Guillory is said to have received the money from the Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management (BDA). On May 2, 2008, Mayo cut ties with BDA. He then hired Leon Rose
Leon Rose
Leon Rose is an attorney and sports agent, based in New Jersey, near Philadelphia. He represents a number of prominent NBA players, including Allen Iverson and LeBron James....
to be his agent.
In April 2009, the NCAA combined its investigations of Mayo and former running back Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
into a single probe of the Trojans' athletic program.
Punishment For Rules Violation
On January 3, 2010, USC announced that it had determined Mayo was ineligible for the 2007-2008 season because he received improper benefits. As a result, USC vacated all 21 of its wins from the 2007-08 season, dropping its record to 0-12. A vacated game does not count as a win for the other team, but is officially treated as having never happened. USC also withdrew from postseason consideration (including the Pac-10 conference tournament) for the 2009-10 season.2008–09 season
On June 26, 2008, O. J. Mayo was selected 3rd overall in the 2008 NBA Draft2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
. Later that day, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, along with Marko Jaric
Marko Jaric
Marko Jarić is a Serbian professional basketball player. He is married to Brazilian model Adriana Lima.-Pro career:...
, Antoine Walker
Antoine Walker
Antoine Devon Walker is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League...
, and Greg Buckner
Greg Buckner
Gregory Derayle Buckner is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
, swapping them for the 5th overall pick Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal
Brian Cardinal
Brian Lee Cardinal , nicknamed "The Custodian" or "The Janitor", is an American professional basketball player. Prior to being drafted to the NBA, Cardinal played college basketball at Purdue University.-1991–1995:...
, and Jason Collins
Jason Collins
Jason Paul Collins is an American professional basketball player, who most recently played for the Atlanta Hawks. He graduated from Harvard-Westlake School, where his backup was actor Jason Segel...
. In his NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
debut, Mayo had 15 points to lead the Grizzlies to an 88–75 win over the New Orleans Hornets. During his rookie season, Mayo scored 30 or more points seven times.
Mayo was the runner-up for the 2008–09 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
, finishing second behind Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
point guard Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose
Derrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association ....
.
2009–10 season
On November 1, 2009, O.J. Mayo scored a career high 40 points against the Denver Nuggets on 17 of 25 shooting.2010–11 season
Mayo was late for a game-day shootaround and was taken out of the starting lineup starting November 20, 2010. On a return flight to Memphis from Los Angeles, Mayo was involved in a fight with teammate Tony AllenTony Allen (basketball)
Anthony Allen is an American professional basketball player with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.-Early career:...
over a debt from an in-flight card game.
On January 27, the NBA suspended Mayo for 10 games following a positive test for the steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Dehydroepiandrosterone
5-Dehydroepiandrosterone is a 19-carbon endogenous steroid hormone. It is the major secretory steroidal product of the adrenal glands and is also produced by the gonads and the brain. DHEA is the most abundant circulating steroid in humans....
, which violates the league's anti-drug program. Mayo blamed an over the counter supplement that he didn't know was banned by the NBA for the positive test, but he declined to say which supplement he used. He later said an unnamed energy drink
Energy drink
Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
he bought at a gas station contained the banned substance.
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 82 || 82 || 38.0 || .438 || .384 || .879 || 3.8 || 3.2 || 1.1 || .2 || 18.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 82 || 82 || 38.0 || .458 || .383 || .809 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 17.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 71 || 17 || 26.3 || .407 || .364 || .756 || 2.4 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .4 || 11.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 235 || 181 || 34.5 || .438 || .378 || .828 || 3.4 || 2.8 || 1.1 || .2 || 16.0
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 13 || 2 || 27.8 || .388 || .408 || .793 || 3.2 || 2.4 || .8 || .3 || 11.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 13 || 2 || 27.8 || .388 || .408 || .793 || 3.2 || 2.4 || .8 || .3 || 11.3
Personal
His parents are Alisa Mayo and Kenneth Maurice Ziegler. Mayo did not live with his father while growing up. Ziegler was charged on December 23, 2010 with attempted murder after he hit a police officer with his car in Huntington, West Virginia.Mayo's half-brother, Todd, is a 2011-12 basketball recruit of Marquette University
Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball
The Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school's 1977 team, coached by Al McGuire, won the NCAA championship. Currently the team competes in the Big East Conference. It last played in the NCAA Division I...
.