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OKC Thunder 30 for 30, Part 30 via T.I. fan request – O.J. Mayo

By Lawrence George

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 18: O.J. Mayo #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks prepares to shoot a free throw against the Golden State Warriors on December 18, 2015 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 18: O.J. Mayo #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks prepares to shoot a free throw against the Golden State Warriors on December 18, 2015 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder
OKC Thunder 30 for 30 by Request: Oj Mayo. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

With the world at his feet, OJ Mayo was among the cream of the crop in the 2008 NBA draft. After being suspended for the past two years on drug violations, should the OKC Thunder give him a shot?

The OKC Thunder have one spot remaining on its roster and with a bevvy of options, could use it to solidify its roster right now or wait until the February trade deadline to acquire a player off the buy-out market. With the way Sam Presti does business, the answer is likely to be the latter of the two options but a move now isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Could O.J Mayo be an option?

Taken with the third pick in the 2008 NBA draft, the hype surrounding Mayo was real. Ranked the number one high school recruit out of high school, Mayo was the prized jewel at the University of Southern California (USC) where he put together an impressive resume. He averaged 20.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists on 44.2 percent shooting, 40.7 from three and made All Pac-10 first team in 2007. The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Mayo but subsequently traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Mayo’s NBA career has been turbulent and marred by all kinds of controversies since day one. Despite averaging 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists on 42.9 percent shooting and 37.9 percent from three, the 30 year-old hasn’t done himself any favors. In 2010, he fought with Grizzlies defensive anchor and fan favorite Tony Allen over an in-flight card game after failing to cover his debt. Later that season, he received a 10 game suspension for violating the NBA’s Anti-drug program after testing positive for steroids.

Two years later when seeking a rookie extension, Mayo publicly complained about his sixth man role in Memphis saying the team was hurting his value. He subsequently received no extension from the Grizzlies and was made an unrestricted free agent. The last straw came In 2016 where Mayo was dismissed for two years following his second violation of the league’s drug policy and was reinstated in July, 2018.

With his rap sheet out of the way, now its time to focus on basketball. In case fans have forgotten, Mayo was a flat out scorer. His career high came during his short tenure with the Dallas Mavericks. He posted 40 points (15-26 shooting, 6-9 from three, 4-4 free throws), 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 35 minutes in the Mavs 116-109 win over the Houston Rockets.

After two years out of the loop, can Mayo still play? Lets see what he could bring to OKC.

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