January192007

Let the Mighty O.J. Mayo Highlight Train Roll On...

Kyle Bunch, TrojanWire

A big thanks to Kevin at WSAZ in West Virginia, who blessed us with a set of O.J. Mayo highlight videos, from the USC-bound guard's senior year in high school in Huntington, West Virginia.

We may have to wait another 10 months or so before we see O.J. in a USC uniform, but in the meantime, highlight videos like these should help size things up nicely:

More highlights to follow throughout the next week.

Related News: Headlines, VIDEO Permalink to 'Let the Mighty O.J. Mayo Highlight Train Roll On...'  Post a Comment (18)

Comments

I'm a Notre Dame fan, so hearing that another O.J. is going to USC, can only mean trouble for us.

Posted by: Nick at January 19, 2007 11:04 AM

So I am just as excited as everyone else about this kid coming to the basketball program...but am I the only one who is skeptical of his skills? So far, in every highlight video I have seen, it has been nothing but CRAZY slam dunks and 3 pointers. Does he have a mid-range game at all? He is not going to be able to do this on any kind of defense at the college level. Can someone please find me a video that includes more than a few assists, dunks, and 3 pointers. They are great crowd pleasers but it would be nice to see something more...

Posted by: Evan at January 19, 2007 11:21 AM

Wow, you guys are gonna be really disappointed. Dude has major attitude problems. Thad Matta didn't even bother recruiting this kid because of the problems and headaches that come with him. Enjoy the one year you have him but I would lower my expectations.

Posted by: Crooks and Bibles at January 19, 2007 01:55 PM

Evan, why would someone put together a highlight reel of a superstar performing blue collar fundamentals? you never saw YouTube clips of Reggie Bush picking up 3 yards up the middle on a tough 3rd and 2 now did you? makes no sense...

C & B, I think you're wrong. that kind of talk trails every dude that's been hyped since they was young. if you started reading about how you were gonna be a star since you were in the 7th grade would you have ever acted like an egomaniac or jerk? How often do you think this kid's been fkkk'd with on and off the court by jealous ass people since he was 13? And because he's not Jesus Christ he's got someone like you saying he's got attitude problems? Sonny Viccaro doesn't think OJ has attitude problems... The Olympic Development committee that named him as one of the 10 high schoolers to be put into the Junior's program this week don't think he has an attitude problem... Bob Huggins doesn't think he has an attitude problem...Okay, maybe that's not the best reference but still...

OJ's super focused and won't let some bullshit spoil his 1 & done in LA.

Posted by: petros tsakalidis at January 19, 2007 02:15 PM

Evan, why would someone put together a highlight reel of a superstar performing blue collar fundamentals? you never saw YouTube clips of Reggie Bush picking up 3 yards up the middle on a tough 3rd and 2 now did you? makes no sense...

C & B, I think you're wrong. that kind of talk trails every dude that's been hyped since they was young. if you started reading about how you were gonna be a star since you were in the 7th grade would you have ever acted like an egomaniac or jerk? How often do you think this kid's been fkkk'd with on and off the court by jealous ass people since he was 13? And because he's not Jesus Christ he's got someone like you saying he's got attitude problems? Sonny Viccaro doesn't think OJ has attitude problems... The Olympic Development committee that named him as one of the 10 high schoolers to be put into the Junior's program this week don't think he has an attitude problem... Bob Huggins doesn't think he has an attitude problem...Okay, maybe that's not the best reference but still...

OJ's super focused and won't let some bullshit spoil his 1 & done in LA.

Posted by: petros tsakalidis at January 19, 2007 02:17 PM

Sonny Viccaro doesn't think OJ has attitude problems...
***********************************************
Lmao, I know you just didn't use Sonny "Crooked" Viccaro as a fine testament of OJ's character. Lmao, you don't think Addidas has anything to do with that do you??????? Dude is a head case and you've been warned. He and his best bud, Bill Walker the top two players in the frickin country weren't even recruited by OSU because of the "alleged" problems they were causing.

Posted by: Crooks and Bibbles at January 23, 2007 12:16 AM

WOW!! I mean really guys watch out for the trojans this year... The kid can dunk and shoot and heck he can even dribble! The Trojans are gonna be rollin next year when they get this kid. I don't know about you guys, but I'm syched because USC hasn't had a player who could dunk or shoot or dribble for a while! UCLA should be scared because all they're getting is the best rebounding, scoring, and outlet scoring big man since Bill Walton. HA! But USC is getting a guy who might be able to score like twenty points on a losing team!

FUCK USC... Who has more championships UCLA or USC? Oh and dont come at me with that, "Oh yeah, but who has the football program bullshit because we all know who won."

FUCK SC. Have a Fucked season. AGAIN

Posted by: Tony at January 23, 2007 04:16 PM

If you want to see more highlights watch them play St. Patrick, N.J on Feb 22, 2007 on ESPN2 and you will see his all around skills,

Posted by: Sleepy at January 26, 2007 08:07 PM

I do not think you should put him on the high road just yet. He has a BAD attitude, and that was seen first hand Friday night 1/26/07 , as I watched him play Capital High School, a local school. The players from Capital (ranked #2 in the state) held him in check a lot of the game, and him getting ejected just put the icing on the cake. He is NOT another high recruit, just another above average high school athlete that thanks he can get by with anything.

Posted by: Jason at January 29, 2007 06:37 AM

attitude will come with age..he is still young, he has had the spot light on him since he was in the 7th grade. In the long run he will be on top and you will be left scaching your head

Posted by: chris at January 29, 2007 06:50 PM

The highlight reel where he stops at the free throw line, throws the ball of the glass and then dunks it speaks volumes about him. He's all about himself, and will certainly be an embarrasment to USC. The recent ejection/suspension is further proof. That kind of basketball and players is the reason why we keep losing international/olypic basketball.

Posted by: bk at January 30, 2007 12:30 PM

I attended the Capital game on 1/26 and I would like to attest to the officials going out of their way to call fouls. It was so obvious they had it out for OJ and the team. Also, I have attended several other games and OJ could have racked up more points, but he is really a team player. He knows when he can pass it and he knows when he should take the shot. He also knows when they are kicking the snot out of our WV teams he can afford to showboat a little, just like several other teammates. Lets not forget he is still a teenager.

Posted by: Amanda at January 30, 2007 11:28 PM

After seeing OJ play last night for the first time in Durham, NC against Artesia (CA), it is plainly evident why Roy Williams and numerous others are not interested. While Mayo is undoubtedly a superb athlete (quick, strong, and a phenomenal leaper), his fundamentals were atrocious. He tried to go 1-on-3 on a dozen occasions, forcing up poor shots half of those times and turning it over the other half. He has 5 teammates with D1 scholarship offers but rarely trusted them, opting instead for repeated attemps at the SportsCenter highlight clip. His man scored several easy baskets on simple back door cuts because Mayo was too busy freelancing on D or cherry-picking. But the most disappointing part of his game was his unwillingness to move without the ball on offense. Rarely did he make a hard cut through the lane, screen for a teammate, or use his strength and skills to post up a smaller guard. If OJ did not have the ball, he was hanging out on the perimeter waiting for it ... begging for it. Only when he fouled out with 2+ minutes left in the game did Huntington take control and pull away, thanks largely to the inside presence of Patrick Patterson and the ball-handling of Michael Taylor. In an earlier game on the same floor, Mater Dei's Taylor King was superb...as fundamentally sound a high-school player as you could hope to find. OJ Mayo could learn SO much about TEAM basketball by watching how a player like King trusts his teammates, lets the game come to him, and hustles ALL THE TIME on both ends of the floor.

Posted by: jrb at January 31, 2007 07:57 AM

not all that impressed to be honest. the off the backboard was classless and he should have been laid out after that taunt.

Posted by: Ferg at January 31, 2007 07:32 PM

not all that impressed to be honest. the off the backboard was classless and he should have been laid out after that taunt.

Posted by: Ferg at January 31, 2007 07:33 PM

I DISAGREE THAT OJ IS'NT A TEAM PLAYER. SEVERAL TIMES THIS SEASON WHEN OJ COULD HAVE SCORED HE WOULD PASS THE BALL TO A TRAILING TEAM MATE OR SOMEONE CUTTING TO THE BASKET. HE MAKES A VERY GOOD HUNTINGTON TEAM "GREAT". IF YOU SAW THE ENTIRE HHS vs CHS GAME IT WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THE REFS {MIKE LAZLO } TRYING TO GET HIS 15 MIN. OF FAME AT THE EXPENSE OF OJ MAYO THE REF. A CHARLESTON NATIVE NEW HE HAD TO KEEP CHS IN THE GAME AND THE ONLY WAY HE COULD DO IT WAS TO GET MAYO OUT OF THE GAME.USC IS GETTING A GREAT KID IN OJ. WITH HIM AND THE OTHE TOP 10 RECRUIT UCLA WILL HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL.

Posted by: david at February 1, 2007 01:24 PM

I have seen OJ Mayo play quite a bit. I live in the Cincinnati area and seen OJ play several times at North College Hill. OJ Mayo is the BEST high school basketball player in then nation. The kid can shoot the ball, pass the ball, and when he drives to the basket he cannot be stopped! I think he will dominate at USC. Now everyone has a bad game, just like he did against Scott County, he has nothing to worry about! Like I said, best in the nation!!! Post your thoughts to me at adrienbrooks10@aol.com

Posted by: Adrien at February 14, 2007 01:22 PM

Im from Huntington and i think u guys will be very glad to have him here. Also i was at the game were he got thrown out and just so you know bout the ref he was paid to fall so all you guys out there saying he bumbed that guy he barely touched him and oj was framed the guy was a ref in charelston and we played Capital who is fro Charelston and ill say this too i have met him and he is one of the most respectful men out there so you should be lucky to have him for the year

Posted by: Blake at February 20, 2007 03:28 PM

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