Earlier this weekend I mentioned a story about OJ Simpson admitting to the double murder from 1994. Yesterday, we woke up to news about another OJ from USC. OJ Mayo, the freshman sensation who recently declared for the NBA Draft after one year in Southern California, was accused by a former member of his entourage, that he took illegal gifts while in high school and college. Two things struck me as odd about this story: 1. Since when do college kids have entourages? 2. How is anyone surprised by this?
Apparently OJ got clsoe to 30k, cell phones, clothing, and meals from Rodney Guillory, a Los Angeles-based event promoter with ties to Bill Duffy Associates (a California based sports agency) in exchange for Mayo signing with BDA upon entering the NBA Draft (which Mayo did). No word yet if USC has connections with the gifts yet.
How can anyone blame a kid for taking gifts at age 16 or 17 when college basketball isn't even on his radar? OJ Mayo has been in the public eye since 2002, when Mayo was in 7th grade. Since that moment in time (and perhaps before that), Mayo has focused on the NBA. It wasn't even until his junior year that the NBA developed it's age requirement. Now, post high school graduation, Mayo is faced with being forced (for lack of better options) to attend college for one year.
The trend will continue until the NBA makes these players take responsibility for their actions (be it with docking pay, or endorsement opportunities) so that these problems don't keep happening. Why should kids who don't even want to be playing college ball feel obliged to follow the rules if they're not the ones who get punished?
Sports Illustrated
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