Jeff Mayo

Ovinton J'Anthony "O.J." Mayo is a former professional basketball player who spent eight seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks. His collegiate career at USC was cut short and later retroactively declared ineligible due to improper benefits received before playing a single game, leading the university to vacate its wins from that season. Mayo was selected third overall in the 2008 NBA draft and earned All-Pac-10 honors in his lone college season.

His NBA career saw periods of strong performance, including being a runner-up for Rookie of the Year, but was also affected by a suspension for violating the league's anti-drug program. After his NBA tenure, Mayo played professionally in Puerto Rico and currently works as an assistant coach in China. He also had a highly publicized high school career, drawing significant attention and media coverage.

O.J. Mayo's basketball journey began at a young age, playing varsity basketball in seventh grade and earning all-state honors by eighth grade. He later transferred to North College Hill High School in Ohio, where he garnered significant media attention and was named Mr. Basketball of Ohio twice. His exceptional high school performance led to considerable anticipation for his entry into professional basketball. However, an NBA rule requiring players to be at least a year removed from high school prevented an immediate leap to the league. He then enrolled at the University of Southern California (USC), where he was a standout player, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors. During this time, he also played pickup games against NBA stars. His college career was ultimately overshadowed by revelations of receiving improper benefits, leading to his retroactive ineligibility and USC vacating all wins from the 2007-08 season.

Selected third overall in the 2008 NBA draft, Mayo was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he played for four seasons. He was a runner-up for the NBA Rookie of the Year award in his first season. His NBA career also included stints with the Dallas Mavericks and the Milwaukee Bucks. During his time with the Grizzlies, Mayo faced disciplinary action, including a 10-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug program due to a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which he attributed to an unknown supplement. In July 2016, Mayo received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating the league's anti-drug program. Following a two-year break, he resumed his playing career internationally.