DC Metro Sports - OJ Mayo: Big Fish in a Small Pond

       Shaquille O'Neal has been a dominant force in the NBA for over 14 years but early into his career with the Orlando Magic he had to make a career changing decision and that was not to opt to stay in the city of Disney. O'Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and put it like this "In Orlando, I'm a big fish in a small pond, in LA I'll be a big fish in a big pond." The Diesel joined forces later with Kobe Bryant to spark the Lakers to three NBA titles.

     Fast forward to 2003 and an Ohio schoolboy by the name of LeBron James began to surface in the national media and thrust a 17 year old kid into the national celebrity spotlight. This incredible media attention caused a vacuum for the search of the next LeBron. Well the media began to turn their attention to one Ovington J' Anthony Mayo from Huntington, WV.

   OJ Mayo's name first surfaced in Sports Illustrated at the age of 14. Mayo, who was a 6'1" point guard at the time, wore a size 14 shoe. He was in the eighth grade. Mayo transferred to Rose Hill School in Kentucky so he could play varsity ball. Mayo later began to get regular national attention at North College Hill High School in Cincinnati, OH where he teamed up with another budding superstar by the name of Bill Walker. Mayo drew huge crowds in Cincinnati with NBA payers sometimes in attendance. With status and growing celebrity a bulls eye began to form. Reports surfaced of altercations at North College Hill.

    Since the 11 grade Mayo has been regarded as the best high school basketball prospect in the country. Part of this is his ability but a large part of it is the media's desire to beat each other to the next hot property. Every recruiting service and prep magazine is eager to anoint a gifted teenager as the next whatever. First it’s the local media and then the national media. It’s like feeding a beast. The bigger the beast gets the bigger the appetite for pub. Mayo is not the beast. He just plays ball. Stories of reporters and photographers hiding in bushes, snapping his photo when he was out at the movies was not uncommon. This kind of hype can be both a blessing and a curse; suddenly you're the big fish in the pond.

    To Mayo's credit his basketball skills are breathtaking. If you have seen any video footage immediately you notice the speed, hops, court awareness, and outside shooting ability. On the high school level yes he looks dominant and if it weren't for the NBA rule stating a minimum of one year after high school, he would probably be a lottery pick in this summers NBA draft.   NBA draft boards had him on the list in the 11th grade!

Mayo enrolled into Huntington High School in Huntington, West Virginia this past school year and teamed up with top 100 prospect Patrick Patterson to play before sold out crowds like he did in Cincinnati. His celebrity status in tiny Huntington may not be all that good. Many have seen the media reports of Mayo after being ejected from a game graze the referee who turned immediately and fell to the floor as if he was thrust to the ground. Although a judge lifted the suspension on Mayo it seems apparent that he may need to seek a bigger body of water. The pond is too small.

Mayo has committed to the University of Southern California to play ball next season in part because he wanted to be in a major media market. Anyone who follows sports knows Mayo is just biding his time. The big fishbowl of the NBA awaits in the future, one can only hope he's ready, but for now at least he definitely needs a bigger stage.

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