OJ Mayo commits to USC?

[ThunderingHERD]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2510229

O.J. Mayo, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2007, told the USC coaching staff and players last week that he would commit to the Trojans, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

The 6-foot-4 Mayo, as recognizable a high school recruiting name as LeBron James and Greg Oden, made the statement while on his unofficial recruiting visit last week in Los Angeles. He still needs to make that sentiment public, though. He could do so as early as this weekend at the Reebok ABCD Camp on the Fairleigh Dickinson campus in Teaneck, N.J.


Wherever Mayo lands, he will make an immediate splash.High school recruits often say one thing to a coaching staff to appease them and then sign somewhere else during the fall and spring signing periods, but multiple sources told ESPN.com that the Trojans are awaiting public word from Mayo. Even after he makes an announcement, though, the Trojans would have to wait until the November signing period before it's truly official.

NCAA rules forbid college coaches from commenting publicly on commitments until they receive a signed national letter of intent. That said, if Mayo verbally commits to USC this weekend -- or anytime before the fall -- he would immediately go down as the most significant recruit in USC basketball history.

Mayo still could have other alternatives instead of going to college in the fall of 2007. There is a possibility he could go overseas for a year or compete in a barnstorming tour with other high-profile players who are prohibited from entering the NBA draft until they are at least 19 and one year out of high school. Details of possible moves like this are expected to be explored in September.

Still, those would be unchartered waters. The more traditional approach for Mayo would be to do what Oden did: go to school for at least one year. Oden chose Ohio State and is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft if he declares. Mayo, who is still scheduled to finish his high school career at North College Hill in Cincinnati, is a potential No. 1 overall pick in 2008 if he were to declare.

"[Mayo] could change a program and give it instant credibility," said one source. "He sees the big market and knows that he's not too far away from being marketed. [Going to USC] would only help him and he's confident enough to win a national championship."

The assumption for over a year was that Mayo would go to Cincinnati if Bob Huggins were still employed there, or follow him to wherever he landed, which ended up being Kansas State. Multiple sources told ESPN.com, though, that Mayo called USC coach Tim Floyd in November to express his interest in joining the Trojans.

Mayo then played in an event in Los Angeles in December, with reports surfacing that he was interested in a West Coast school. The assumption at the time was that it was UCLA, but by December, it had been made clear to USC that it was the Trojans, not the Bruins, who were in the hunt.

Multiple sources said that Mayo wanted to be in a major media market and that he told the USC staff he didn't want to be just another name at a school like Duke or North Carolina. He wanted to win big, go to the NBA and already have been marketed in a media center. Sources also said that Mayo was very aware of the attention USC's back-to-back Heisman winners, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, received the past two seasons.

"He's a little bit different for a kid his age," a source said.

Mayo was in Los Angeles last Wednesday to Friday. He met with the coaching staff, played with USC's returning players on campus and had a conversation with USC athletic director Mike Garrett. Mayo also met with Floyd for the first time. A source said Floyd has only talked to Mayo a handful of times, with Mayo showing more enthusiasm in this partnership than USC.

That's what makes this even more of a coup for the Trojans, assuming it becomes official. Even though he coached in the NBA at Chicago and New Orleans, Floyd has only had one highly rated freshman in his college career -- Marcus Fizer, while he was at Iowa State.

The timing of a Mayo commitment couldn't come at a better time for the Trojans. USC is still emotionally spent after dealing with the tragic death of freshman point guard Ryan Francis, and also needs to overcome the loss of star shooting guard Gabe Pruitt, who is academically ineligible for the first semester. The Trojans are also opening their new arena, the Galen Center, this fall.

A Mayo commitment may lead to another major coup if teammate and close friend Bill Walker, another top-10 player in the class of 2007, were to follow him to USC. The two have said for the past two years that they would play together in college.

[MrBug708]

This is great for UCLA on a number of fronts

[Schmidty]

Never heard of the guy.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

This is great for UCLA on a number of fronts

Why is that?

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Never heard of the guy.

me neither - but his name makes me want to puke.

[Franklinnoble]

Another famous USC athlete named OJ... awesome.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Why is that?

1. UCLA has Arizona with an old, albeit good, coach and makes for a good out of state rivalry. Ever since Monty left, Cali has been struggling for a premier team and after last years run, UCLA looks to be ready. With a decent USC squad, it can only help.
2. OJ Mayo has baggage galore. I think he's suspended in one of his states from playing basketball due to something he did wrong. Wherever he goes, the NCAA will camp out. Nothing's better then watching the Rules committee combing through your opponents AD.
3. OJ Mayo committing basically forces out Gabe Pruitt and Nic Young. Mayo and Walker, while they'll be name signings, will hurt USC in the long run as they'll take these kids instead of signing 4 year players to come in and help USC continue to build something.
4. Freshmen rarely are game changers. Mayo has thought about going to Europe for one season so he can get money fast and not attend class. Not exactly a good lockerroom guy, dont you think?

[Groundhog]

OJ Mayo sounds like a really awful drink.

[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

1. UCLA has Arizona with an old, albeit good, coach and makes for a good out of state rivalry. Ever since Monty left, Cali has been struggling for a premier team and after last years run, UCLA looks to be ready. With a decent USC squad, it can only help.
2. OJ Mayo has baggage galore. I think he's suspended in one of his states from playing basketball due to something he did wrong. Wherever he goes, the NCAA will camp out. Nothing's better then watching the Rules committee combing through your opponents AD.
3. OJ Mayo committing basically forces out Gabe Pruitt and Nic Young. Mayo and Walker, while they'll be name signings, will hurt USC in the long run as they'll take these kids instead of signing 4 year players to come in and help USC continue to build something.
4. Freshmen rarely are game changers. Mayo has thought about going to Europe for one season so he can get money fast and not attend class. Not exactly a good lockerroom guy, dont you think?

I generally agree..oden seemed like a good guy, mayo seems like trouble...i wouldnt want him down here in AZ, talented or not...him going to USC should only help us recruit

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

OJ Mayo sounds like a really awful drink.

LOL!!!

[IMetTrentGreen]

mrbug's #3 is what little programs tell themselves when they can't get those one and done players. not that ucla is little or anything, but it's still a bad reason not to recruit a mayo, oden or durant.

yeah, he's got baggage, but the guy is as legit as lebron was. he can have someone write his book reports for 3 months and carry a team into the sweet 16 on his own. you recruit guys like that no matter what. usc will be 4 times better than they were going to be in 07, will get tons of pub from this, and recruit a better class for 08 and 09 because of it. shoot, you don't think other 07 recruits don't want to play with mayo? bill walker might still end up at ksu (i was hoping they'd all go there, that would be fun to watch), but now he's probably going to look at usc.

second, there is no rule that says you have to bring in all one year players or all four year players. texas has damion james and kevin durant coming in next year. they'll be the best players on the team and be gone in 07/08. but we also have several very good multiple year types coming in too. best of both worlds. we're also recruiting jerryd bayless (thoser pastners can go fuck themselves) and anthony randolph for 07, both one and done players. rick barnes has made a living off under appreciated 4 year scrappy types (pj tucker, most recently) and still jumped into the rent-a-player-pool as soon as he could. shit, he wouldn't of let aldridge back next year even if lamarcus wanted to stay. he and most other coaches see the value in these recruits, and the value in these recruits seeing your program as a stepping stone to the league.

finally, ask jim boheim if he regrets bringing in carmelo. mayo is a better prospect than he was.

i guess my point is, this is in no way good for ucla

[IMetTrentGreen]

also, it's not like ben howland wouldn't take mayo in a heartbeat.

[thealmighty]

OJ Mayo is definately NOT good eats.

[Vince]

I don't get the "as recognizable as LeBron James" part. I've never heard of this guy until this thread, and I regard myself as fairly knowledgeable about the sporting world.

[miami_fan]

I would be suprised if Mayo ever sets foot on the court for USC. This guy has absolutely NO interest in going to school. The article just touches on this fact. This is not the same type of situation as Greg Oden. At least he acknowledged that he might want to go to college. This is the kind of guy who would challenge the draft rule in court.

As far as people not hearing about him. More people would have heard of him if he had a chance to be drafted in the 2007 (or even the 2006) draft. I suspect he will have his high school games on ESPN this coming year. He has been rated as the #1 prospect in the 2007 class since the end of his freshman year.

[Bearcat729]

Originally Posted by Vince

I don't get the "as recognizable as LeBron James" part. I've never heard of this guy until this thread, and I regard myself as fairly knowledgeable about the sporting world.

It was huge news here in Cincy when he chose North College Hill to be the school he went to. I never saw the hype either, but he's been touted as the next LeBron since grade school around here.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Bearcat729

It was huge news here in Cincy when he chose North College Hill to be the school he went to. I never saw the hype either, but he's been touted as the next LeBron since grade school around here.

never heard of him.

[rkmsuf]

Joe Mayo?

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I would be suprised if Mayo ever sets foot on the court for USC. This guy has absolutely NO interest in going to school. The article just touches on this fact. This is not the same type of situation as Greg Oden. At least he acknowledged that he might want to go to college. This is the kind of guy who would challenge the draft rule in court.

As far as people not hearing about him. More people would have heard of him if he had a chance to be drafted in the 2007 (or even the 2006) draft. I suspect he will have his high school games on ESPN this coming year. He has been rated as the #1 prospect in the 2007 class since the end of his freshman year.

Hell, at 18 - if I could make $10 million guaranteed, I'd blow of school as well. Mr Bug seems to think this makes him a "bad" guy in some way, which is absurd.

[cthomer5000]

I'd cut off a finger to make $1 million guaranteed right now.

[Balldog]

I've watched him a few times, its hard to compare him with Lebron because OJ's supporting cast is a lot better than Lebron's but OJ appears to be a better scorer and that's about it. Lebron was better in every other area, IMO. Mayo can shoot a lot better than Lebron.

[John Galt]

Is my memory wrong or wasn't OJ on the cover of SI when he was in junior high? I think he has disappeared a little relative to that early attention, but if we didn't have LeBron already, I think a lot of media would be making OJ into "LeBron." It's just not as hot a story as it was a few years ago.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by IMetTrentGreen

also, it's not like ben howland wouldn't take mayo in a heartbeat.

Ben Howland wouldnt touch Mayo with a ten foot piece of bread

[Maple Leafs]

It's nice to see the words "OJ" and "commits" in a headline without also seeing "double homicide".

[Neuqua]

OJ Mayo looks like he's ready for the NBA already, and I am not talking about his basketball skills.

[bulletsponge]

if the knock on him is he wants to become a proffesional player instead of a servent in the NCAA then i dont see a problem. too bad im with the NBA in thier age restrictions

[JeeberD]

I thought he was going to Kansas State to hook up with drunky?

[rexallllsc]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Hell, at 18 - if I could make $10 million guaranteed, I'd blow of school as well. Mr Bug seems to think this makes him a "bad" guy in some way, which is absurd.

That doesn't. This does.

hxxp://www.cleveland.com/hsboysbasketball/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1146040724219270.xml&coll=2

Reports say Mayo suspended
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
From staff reports

North College Hill basketball standout O.J. Mayo has been suspended from school after an incident at the school last week involving a female student, a Cincinnati television station and newspaper reported.

WKRC-TV reported Mayo would be suspended for 180 days. Sports director Brad Johansen, who said the station's source was a Cincinnati school board member, said Mayo allegedly choked the female student.

[heybrad]

"Is OJ Mayo gonna have to choke a bitch?"

[SunDevil]

Might as well be signed by the Trailblazers for the summer league this year.

[SunDevil]

Originally Posted by heybrad

"Is OJ Mayo gonna have to choke a bitch?"

heybrad strikes again..

[Logan]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

me neither - but his name makes me want to puke.

Frankly, it sounds made up...

EDIT: Shit, rkmsuf beat me to it.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I'd cut off a finger to make $1 million guaranteed right now.

I'd cut your finger off for $1 million too.

[Galaxy]

Why not head to Europe?

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Why not head to Europe?

I am pretty sure that is what his representatives are looking at. Of course he will be looking for a one year deal with no buyout clause. Not sure if the good teams overseas would bring him in under those conditions.

[IMetTrentGreen]

I don't get the "as recognizable as LeBron James" part. I've never heard of this guy until this thread, and I regard myself as fairly knowledgeable about the sporting world.

he's been a known quantity since he was 14. luckily for him he didn't peak to early and looks like a superstar in the making.. i don't know how tall he is, but he's built really well, super quick, and has great ball skills. i think he's 6'4 or 6'5 but i don't know for sure

Ben Howland wouldnt touch Mayo with a ten foot piece of bread

i really don't believe that. do you have any proof? i certainly don't follow ucla basketball, but i'm finding it hard to believe ben howland wouldn't a lebron type talent, even if he is a worthless punk.

[AgustusM]

Originally Posted by Vince

I don't get the "as recognizable as LeBron James" part. I've never heard of this guy until this thread, and I regard myself as fairly knowledgeable about the sporting world.

that is exactly what struck me about the story, I have heard of him, but only in passing - nothing compared to the LeBron blitz of a few years back.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by IMetTrentGreen

i really don't believe that. do you have any proof? i certainly don't follow ucla basketball, but i'm finding it hard to believe ben howland wouldn't a lebron type talent, even if he is a worthless punk.

One, Ben Howland has alluded to it before, talking about the character kids he likes, two I dont think the UCLA clearinghouse would get him by, and three his schools that he was considering was KSU, Cincy, and USC. Not exactly on the same page. If Mayo had no baggage around him, there probably would have been interest.

[LloydLungs]

I think it's interesting that Mayo picked USC even though Floyd doesn't appear to have gone after him very hard. I'm sure Floyd is happy to take him since he should help USC tremendously in recruiting, although from what I know of Tim and what little I know of Mayo, I doubt he will get along with this kid.

That's if, as mentioned, he actually shows up on campus in the first place.

[ScottVib]

One of Scout's Headlines states:

OJ Mayo: News Conference on Hold.

Wonder if circumstances have changed..

[HerRealName]

I guess he is just waiting for his Mom to get into town. He is still expected to verbal to USC.

There are a couple of misconceptions here. He was suspended for school like 5 days, not 180 as was initially reported in that newspaper. He is also able to play high school basketball. He played varsity basketball as a 7th and 8th grader in Kentucky but 7th and 8th graders are allowed to play varsity so that isn't an issue. There is a possibility that his teammate and fellow blue chipper Bill Walker may have played as a Freshman twice so he may only have 1 semester of eligibility in Ohio remaining. It is still a pending issue with the Athletic Association in Ohio.

There are a lot of stories about Mayo that probably aren't true but if I were a college coach I would never recruit the kid. All it takes is one member of the multiple hangers on to take illegal benefits and you're in trouble like the Reggie Bush situation at USC. He lives with his 'grandpa' in Cincinnati who is really just a guardian. I believe his parents like in WV still but I'm not certain about that.

[SunDevil]

Why does this guy sound more like Maurice Clarett than Lebron James...

[Riggins44]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Why not head to Europe?

Lot's of bitches in Europe that need choking.

[Riggins44]

Originally Posted by ScottVib

One of Scout's Headlines states:

OJ Mayo: News Conference on Hold.

Wonder if circumstances have changed..

Wait, hold the Mayo!

[IMetTrentGreen]

One, Ben Howland has alluded to it before, talking about the character kids he likes, two I dont think the UCLA clearinghouse would get him by, and three his schools that he was considering was KSU, Cincy, and USC. Not exactly on the same page. If Mayo had no baggage around him, there probably would have been interest.

mack brown likes character kids too, but up until the spring he carried one of the worst human beings on the planet on the planet along in ramonce taylor, and taylor isn't near as good as mayo is. these 'character kid' coaches have a way of overlooking that when a big dog looks into them.

second, the clearinghouse is an ncaa body. if they don't clear him, no one can. if you mean ucla admissions, then ok. i have no knowledge of his grade situation. as for the schools recruiting him, the final three are just who he chose. i don't think he has a texas offer, but i know he would have if his interest in us had been more serious. no point in howland wasting resources on him if he doesn't want to come.

i don't mean to be arguementitive on whether howland wants mayo or not. maybe he really doesn't. my main objection was to your homerist view that this is only good for ucla. unless mayo goes the other trojan oj while on campus, this will be only positive for usc basketball. nobody outside the west coast watches pac-10 basketball unless its a national espn game. but most are fox sports end-of-a-triple-header-at-10/11pm-local-time games. mayo and usc will be a national story all year long. usc will gain instant legitimacy, and time floyd, who is already a great coach and recruiter, will get into homes he couldn't have without mayo.

what micheal vick did for virginita tech, tj ford for texas basketball, shaw did for kobe, etc, mayo will do for usc.

ps - once you are done asking boheim about carmelo, ask any sooner fan or miami hurricane fan (if you can find one) if they cared about the hoodlums that ran around those programs in the past. sooner fans talk about their ill-gotten gains with nothing but fond memories. cheating? rape? coke? guns? don't care. they won. bottom line, in the long run, wins are more important that graduates. sad but true.

[biological warrior]

I thought this kid was a football or baseball prospect until I found out hes playing at my old high school today.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

two I dont think the UCLA clearinghouse would get him by

Heh... the old "any recruit that USC gets wanted to go to UCLA, but didn't have the grades" argument. Honest question... do you have any proof of this happening? Seems like a very common theme on the UCLA scout.com message boards, especially now USC is getting a lot of the best football recruits from all over the nation.

[bhlloy]

DOLA - I don't want Mayo anywhere near the USC basketball program. I don't think the short spike in notoriety and national coverage is worth all the potential for bad things to happen. The team isn't going to be a contender to beat UCLA or Arizona in the next couple of years, with or without Mayo. Floyd has done an excellent job bringing the program back so far, would hate to see Mayo ruin it.

[IMetTrentGreen]

I don't think the short spike in notoriety and national coverage is worth all the potential for bad things to happen

it's almost always worth it, historically.

[Glengoyne]

With a name like OJ, I figured we were talking about a football player.