O.J. Mayo Says He’s Innocent; Hanging out with D-Wade in the Chi
Photo. G. LandESPN.com’s Andy Katz was part of the media storm surrounding O.J. Mayo at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando yesterday. Mayo was there for a scheduled media session and to presumably get his official measurements.
Mayo was his usual polite, well-spoken self with the media horde, and then again in a one-on-one interview with ESPN. And, as has been the case throughout the investigation and once it became public, he remained consistent.
He continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Did he accept any kind of money, gifts or benefits from Guillory?“Not at all,” Mayo said. “We went out to eat, I understand the rules, and I paid my part of the bill and sometimes I paid the entire bill if I had any.”
Why then did former friend/insider Louis Johnson make the allegations about Mayo, Guillory and BDA?
“I don’t know,” Mayo said. “I understand that he’s writing a book. I’m just focusing on the future, preparing for my future and NBA team workouts.”
Later on in the story, it mentions that O.J. and Dwyane Wade have been talking a lot and going out to dinner, but curiously, they don’t work out together, even though their both training at the same complex in Chicago.
Read the full thing HERE.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:06 am
dukesman2000 says:
I think the NCAA should really consider paying these student athletes. I am not saying to give these guys millions, but at least some sort of incentive. I mean if the NCAA want to minimize these quagmires going forward, it is the only way to go. The athletes are looking at the fact they generate hundred’s of millions of dollar for their repsective colleges and they’re are not seeing any kick backs. Yeah, one may argue that these athletes are given scholarships and the chance to get a priceless education. OK agreed. But how many star athletes finish college? These guys are NBA bound and they are looking for that big paycheck. I dont know any 17 or 18 year old kid who will turn down some of these lavish gifts presented to them by these “so called agents” I know I wouldn’t…
May 30th, 2008 at 10:12 am
BALLZ says:
So so sick of this story. Here’s the real story: O.J. Mayo will be the best player out of the 2008 draft. He will win ROY next year. Just remember Uncle Ballz told you so.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:16 am
IGP says:
I think Mayo is really handling himself well in this situation. He is consistent. He is well spoken. I’m becoming a bigger fan of his just by watching how he handles this. I agree with you Ballz, I think he has the ability to be the best player in this draft. He is definitely top 3.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:17 am
YOUNGFED says:
Took yall long enough to post a new article too bad yall stole it from espn. lol naw just messin wit yall but on the real did you guys over sleep or something. SLIPPIN’ FOR REALZ.
BTW MAyo Just Brown-nosing hopin’ MI-YAYO pick him up. Smart business decision even though his nose gone have a lil fudge on it. lol
May 30th, 2008 at 10:21 am
YOUNGFED says:
Time out whats with this Well Spoken Shit, like cause he’s a young black male he’s supposed to sound retarded or something. You never hear the term well spoken reguarding white atheletes. WTF!!! Yall kinda trippin’ in hear. I myself can go RZA to Obama in less than a second if I want to. Quit with that well spoken ish.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:32 am
yallallreadyknow says:
is oj mayo any good or is he just hype?
May 30th, 2008 at 10:55 am
bron42 aka coffee black says:
hes good but hes def more hype so far and always has been. put up big numbers with horrible shootin %. And anytime he has a showdown with another top player he gets smacked. And your becoming a fan with how he handled it? the guy has been drama and had baggage ever since his sophmore year of high school. And the only way hes ROY is if he goes to a team like the bobcats where they have no other choice to feed him the ball like durant cuz he doesn’t have a high basketball IQ or play good enough defense to win out a spot on legit teams. I mean this is the kid who was asked “would you rather be a higher pic or go to a great situation” and his answer was higher pick, meaning hes not really worried about ballin he just wants to get paid. I’d rather be the 22 pick to the spurs than #3 to the sonics anyday. Endorsements will come either way if your nice.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:57 am
bron42 aka coffee black says:
and YOUNGFED, its like on the boondocks when they were sayin how quickly you can go black based on a nigga moment lol but ya, your never gonna here about how well spoken kevin love or joe alexander are cuz its expected.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:59 am
yallallreadyknow says:
aint no endorsements in san an.
what…you want ur face on the riverwalk?
nah son…take that high draft slot and go the the clips in la
May 30th, 2008 at 11:09 am
bron42 aka coffee black says:
ya so you can get paid to ride the pine and get your ass busted for the first 4 years of your career. smart marketing move. San might not have tons of money on endorsments but last i checked, things like nike,sprite,pepsi etc… are world wide so like i said, if your nice, the money will come no matter where you go. But then again his image is crap right now so he should take what he can get.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Rafa23 says:
those rules are just ridiculous. I’m not that involved in college ball rules, but wasn’t there a rule that you can’t play the season after changing the college?
it’s so funny hearing stories like the LA game where they were investing because mayo got bought tickets?
everybody I’m talking to can’t believe those things.
but you got another perspective living here in europe.
so why are those rules THAT strict?
May 30th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Chuck...Haters come in all fashions and forms so bear arms says:
@bron42
Dude averaged 20 a game and shot 44%. He’s only 20 years old? He does average 3.5 T.O’s, but with the right coach and the right attitude, dude could be a beast. When he played Rose, him, nor rose did much of anything so……
May 30th, 2008 at 11:16 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Bron42
Yeah I still have those moments ever time someone steps on my new kicks and I got bread now. Guess it’s embedded in me. lol
May 30th, 2008 at 11:33 am
doc says:
Mayo nice Bron dont give nobody props that youngbuck gonna be a problem for years to come.Aint shit wrong with his image neither I bet he get endorsments right off the bat and he’ll be a top 5 pick easy.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Joe Cozi says:
you sound like that old chris rock with the speak so well so well spoken thing….I’m mexican and I don’t take every little detail as a racist comment, maybe you should try that too…
May 30th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Celts Fan says:
I agree on the “well spoken” line, but he has had an image of the “given everything, full of himself” primadonna athlete before he ever got to USC. Between the 2nd quarter dunk where he threw the ball into the stands in the state title game and basically recruiting himself to USC, the perception has been that he’s pretty arrogant. By all indications (from teammates and coaches, to “lowly” media guys) he’s a really nice kid and a really hard worker, so now they have to rehab an image that never should’ve been out there. Obviously a kid who’s been told he’s the shit since he was 13 is eventually going to buy into it. The question is, as you age, do you mature, still work hard, and realize the hype is worthless unless you deliver? OJ seems to really get it (how many guys of that caliber come in and run shit on the defensive end? He did.) I’ve become a really big fan of the kid…
May 30th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
BALLZ says:
Bron are you retarded? Who the fuck wouldn’t choose being a higher pick? Hmm, let’s see, being a higher pick unanimously declares at the time you are A. a superior player, and B. going to be paid more C. (usually) get more playing time. Dude I mean everybody loves winning, but NOBODY puts in the blood, sweat and tears for all those years because they’re dreaming of sliding in the draft to a winning team. I’d be willing to guess that every fucking player in the Draft has always dreamed of going #1. I guess you’re one of those dumbasses who would rather have Robert Horry’s career than Charles Barkley’s.
As for your assertions about O.J., it’s quite obvious that your primary source of information is some douche bag like Skip Bayless, because the people with knowledge of O.J. the person, his game, & the game in general say the exact same thing unanimously: the kid is unfailingly polite & the hardest worker going. I’m biased because I live and coach in the same neck of the woods where O.J. grew up balling, and I know a ton of people who have worked with him first hand. Don’t hate on a kid just because you read some bullshit article in Slam 5 years ago. I ain’t worried though. He’ll shut your mouth soon enough with his game.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
YOUNGFED says:
@Joe Cozi
All I can say is….”Tequilla Taco-Bell” LMAO(x)10
May 30th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Bron42 aka coffee black says:
Chuck- I’m not just talkin about when he played rose (and his team lost didnt they?) I’m talkin even since high school, all star camps etc…the guy fades in the spotlight. And yes he COULD be a best with the right coach and attitude but hes never showed a good attitude and has had plenty of coaches, i mean the guy did go to like 4 different high schools so he has seen his share of coaches there and aau. Plus your overlooking the fact he was a 20 year old college frosh when most are like 18. So he should be better than most. He reminds me of brady quinn in college…got all the hype but never won the big game or did shit against real comp.
Doc-Your right, he is nice..i mean hes done so much so far…carried usc to umm…wait thats a bad example. And your right, nothing wrong with his image other than people saying he has no work ethic, kicked out of one high school for fighting, saying hes older than he really is, gettin caught up about takin money and things like that..wait another bad example. So ya he can rock some orange juice and mayonaise commericals but if you come off as a dick or spoiled most people wont like you. He’ll be like marbury 09.
BALLZ - Being a higher pic means your better? tell that to darko and gerald green. A higher pick just means a) more money b) more pressure. And my info from skip bayless? lol ya cuz no one else knows that area or has ever met OJ themselves. Considering I played at ABCD camp and help train the FDU guys, I’ve seen oj and met him numerous times. Anyone can seem like a nice kid but actions speak louder than words and if you got a history and baggage, you can hope to seem nice all you want.I aint say he was gonna be a bust be he wont be a team savior. And ya everyone DREAMS of being #1, but sorry, my idea of fun isn’t goin to a trash team and losing forever, no matter how much I’m gettin paid. Plain and simple we all kno hes not going #1, So if money is all hes worried about then the answer is legit, but if hes worried about winning then its a bullshit redflag answer. I mean come on, You would rather make a ton of money and have your team done by december than make still great money, get endorsments and be in the playoffs every year? Go ask joe johnson how fun his last couple years have been. Go ask kenyon martin if he prefers the nuggets over the nets. Go ask kobe how he felt chillen on a losin team and takin the blame for it. And no i’m not one of those people cuz even horry said he’d rather have barkleys career but its not like horry hasn’t been paid along the way.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Bron42 aka coffee black says:
and another thing, lets not make it like hes a sure shot at being a superstar. Hes a 20 year old 6′5 scorer, and will have to play pg on a terrible team which is the hardest position in basketball and he already has a high turnover ratio and no defense. I see him bein a more athletic chauncy billups and even chauncy bounced around the league at first.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Chuck...Haters come in all fashions and forms so bear arms says:
@Bron42
Yeah you made your point(s), I can’t be mad at that.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
doc says:
dude a hater.U dont like his image.If his image was fucked up he would be a later pick like Randy Moss was.We aint trying to hear that bullshit.You cant train Mayo because he would bust your ass.Thats like Danielson trying to train Mr. Miyagi.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Bron42 aka coffee black says:
I love when people talk out their ass lol…
1) randy moss when late cuz he went to a small ass school so that comparison was a waste from the start. Not to mention it has already been proven coaches will draft potential over alot of things including bad images anyday…doesnt mean there arent red flags. Eddie Griffin (RIP) had a horrible image coming out of college and still got drafted. So lets not make it like talented guys (ala marcus williams/ james white) don’t slide cuz of image and nice guys with fucked up images don’t still get drafted high. You could be a total head case/fuck up and still get drafted high if you got potential, thats why GMS lose their jobs. I mean darius miles was a model citizen right?
2)Tim glover is one of the TOP trainers in the world, yet trains athletes who could “bust his ass” every day…why? cuz he knows his shit. So again, another dumb comment there way to go. I love it when dick riders talk like a guy is unbeatable and never lost a game lol. Cory fisher busted his ass and i’m sure cory fisher has a trainer he could light up.
3) your obviously not a baller if you don’t know what abcd camp is…its now where you train people dumb ass. Its where the top players in the nation go to play against eachother in front of college coaches. So yes I’ve seen him get shit on before and seen him torch people before yet my summary of him is still the same. Plus I’ve worked with pro guys who I admit would bust my ass and Ojs so ya…in the words of Mr.Miyagi, heres my nuts, start waxin.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Bron42 aka coffee black says:
look at melos image and look at dwades image right now and tell me image doesnt play alot. Melo got his team to the playoffs, dwade had the worst record in the nba, but which one is more marketable right now?
May 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
doc says:
Randy Moss went late because of image dick.He started at Florida State and got kicked out of school.ABCD alumi of 2000 nigga check records Dawan Doc Robinson All City 1rst team didnt get all city POY because my man Ed Griff, played for Rhode Island averaged 20 tried out for the Clippers in 04 got cut and work for Sheed Wallace at a gym so Yeah I would bust ya ass myself brother so dont get carried away.I could go overseas right now and ball just like I did in 05.The youngin is nice and you hate just like you hate on everybody.The faggot jokes played out in 4th grade so come stronger than that you fake ass trainer.you one of them dudes who aint make it so you watch other players and say he aint that tough knowing you would get demolished.Like I said the youngin image is straight thats why he’ll be a top pick and get his fat sneak contract.Wade is on TV I’ll give you that but its one endorsment lets not act like he doing everything.And dont disrespect Tim Grover by putting him in your category.And he work dudes out and give drills.We call that workouts in Philly.Training is teaching the game somthing I dont think you know about.Check the rep DOC probaly made YOU fall.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
bron42 aka coffee black says:
@doc lol for a washout who doesnt seem to kno facts your pretty funny. I mean first off your callin me a fake trainer when not only do I work with pro players in the nba AND nfl, I interned with tim 3 years ago so not really disrespect. On top of that, learn the difference between a trainer and a coach. Trainers improve aspects of your game through drills and workouts. Coaches teach the game. Tim isn’t listed as a coach now is he. He fixes your form, helps you work on ya hops etc…On top of that, don’t gas yourself with all the “oh i could if i wanted to shit” cuz you aint so save the coulda woulda shit. And thats comin from abcd 2002 alum. Bust my ass please…I got 3 inches on you, 40 pounds Not to mention UNLV,playin overseas, Slamball, etc..Theres guys who run this site that can vouch for me, let alone coaches and nba players. So you might wanna step ya lil ass back and stick with reppin philly. I mean if you weren’t such a clown I’d even give you credit since I already know who you are from ya name. But game only recognizes game, not bitch asses who talk random shit online. So while you runnin ya mouth about what you did years ago, I’m down in florida helpin run vince carters basketball camp. I mean even if ya shit was worth commentin on, i’d point out i never said Oj was ass, I said he got alot of flaws and he won’t turn around a franshise. Hell mike beasly has a bad attitude too at times, dont mean hes ass. Oj NEVER won against big time comp. NEVER EVA EVA EVA..Stats don’t lie, so you can dick ride as much as you want but it wont change his record against top guys. lol funny man, i’m in high school puttin 34 on lenny cooke and you wanna go stat for stat lol.. gotta love forums. As for wade, still, if he had melos image he wouldnt have any endorsements. You make i like last year wade didn’t have a bunch of commericals. Whens the last time you saw a commerical for melos shows and hes signed with jordan meanwhile everyone remembers wades commercial with his alter egos on his shoulders with poor ass converse. As good as melo is, he cant get the same market cuz people think hes a thug. Ya OJ WILL get paid at some point, which was my point from the beginning and why i said going to a good team as like the 15th pic isn’t terrible, but he aint gonna be makin lebron money. Look how quick reggie bush went from next big thing to ehhh he’ll be ok.
p.s: randy moss got drafted out of marshall, which is a small school, when you think randy moss you don’t associate him with florida state.So yes image played a part but he wasnt maruice clarett or omar cook. Mike vick had issues and he still got drafted high. Its called takin a flyer on someone, talent usually rules out.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
bron42 aka coffee black says:
actually, you kno what…i take that back..as a baller myself its fucked up for me to come at you on blast like that when its not even serious so my bad. Mayo is still a spoiled bitch though.
May 30th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
doc says:
No hard feelings dog.I respect another baller.U aint fuck me up until u spit ya height and weight over me though.
May 30th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Lady Luck says:
Well…Good to know I’m on the right track reading dime and its message board. At least I know for sure that I’m reading and writing with people who are really close to the action and therefore can offer some valid insight and perspective rather than regular couch-potato fan who has never ever played outside of his driveway but have all kinds of shit to say based on ESPN reports.