If O.J. Mayo received “gifts” before entering into the NBA draft I don’t blame him. Everybody else is getting paid in the college basketball game, but the athletes so why not. Would a few dollars each week towards the college athletes well being kill these “institution’s of learning”? Absolutely not. Don’t even get me started on the one year of College before entering the draft rule.
Anyway here is a break down of how O.J. Mayo allegidly spent his “gift” money according to an O.J. Mayo “insider”.
$30,000 in cash
ESPN.com quoted Mayo saying, “I would just like to know if I did [get money], where did the money go? I was a struggling college student like everyone else. I bicycled to class.” I can attest to this fact. I admit I stalked the basketball players and always spotted them on the USC campus, especially on their bikes. Too bad I didn’t have the courage to talk to them, because now I missed my chance with one-and-done Ovinton J’Anthony (O.J.). Sigh.
42-inch flat screen TV for Mayo’s dorm room
I lived in the same building as Mayo, and let me tell you, it’s no dorm room. Troy Hall apartments are pretty spacious but nothing special. Mayo lived like any other USC student (myself excluded) with a 42-inch flat screen TV. He probably could’ve chosen a 70-inch with all that space, but being the unpretentious type that he is, Mayo settled with the 42.
Hotel room in Hermosa Beach for Mayo and his girlfriend
Who wouldn’t want a private room overlooking the Pacific Ocean? No one in their right mind, that’s for sure. Hermosa Beach isn’t the best beach in California, but they do have some classy hotels. Let’s just hope Mayo treated his girl to this and not this.
Cell phone service billed to a nonprofit foundation
The organization was under Guillory’s name and, according to California state records, its purpose was to serve “the educational, health, recreational and social needs of youths and elderly citizens residing in inner-city communities.” No one can deny that Mayo grew up in an inner-city community as a youth with educational, health, recreational and social needs…
Thousands of dollars spent on clothes
Apparently, Mayo was going for a “Kanye West-esque preppy look” off the courts. I don’t blame him. The look suits him well. It exudes not only the intelligence of a college student and maturity of a professional basketball player, but also the confidence of a white-washed hip hop artist.
30 pairs of sneakers
If there’s anyone who needs that many sneakers, it’s a basketball player. They run up and down the courts for a living! Who knows how many shoes they wear out per year?
Meals & airline tickets for friends and relatives
Mayo chose to go to school all the way across the country from his hometown. I’m in the same situation at USC, and I know how lonely it can get. If someone were to offer me visits from friends and family, I’d take it in an instant.
$1000 Christmas gift
Think of it as the typical Christmas bonus. I bet Mayo used all the money towards gifts for “the educational, health, recreational and social needs of youths and elderly citizens residing in inner-city communities.”
