So since there is no real basketball to be found ANYWHERE, I've been forced to watch video of some up and coming NBA Lottery picks. What I'm hoping is to see that what ever blinded the NBA and the Portland Trailblazers on their 2007 draft premonitions will be absent in future drafts. I know, I know, I might as well be holding my breath. People see what they want to see. Me included. But knowing that, and wanting to see things as they are versus how I wish them to be just might be my salvation. I'm still waiting on the NBA power's that be. And apparently, I've got a long wait coming as I sit here looking at videos of O J Mayo.
And here is what I see. I see an athletically gifted 6'5" basketball player with good shooting range and a decent head and shoulder fake. What I do not see is a point guard. Given his range and the way he tends to look to score first versus getting other players involved in the offense, I see him at the next level being a much more effective at shooting guard. I also would be hard pressed to find any evidence of a defensive bone in his body, let alone his consciousness. Given his size, length and "relative" quickness he could be a monster on the defensive end if he chose to apply himself. (Gary Payton back in the day comes to mind). But all I've been able to see on the web points to a player with an obsessive scorers mindset. This is great if you've got a team full of guys who can't seem to put the ball in the hole, but even in the NBA the four others guys you put on the court around him will only put up with so much "Kobesizing" from a rookie.
What most people tend to watch when someone plays basketball, especially someone with the notoriety O J Mayo enjoys, is how many times the ball goes through the hoop. But for me what is also of interest is how he chooses to get it there. And I will admit when discussing Mayo, the basketball does go through the hoop with incredible frequency. But I was amazed (and I must admit annoyed) with how many times the ball goes through the hoop when there are multiple defenders on him. In much of the video I watched his team is watching him and waiting for something to happen. Contrast this to what you would see watching some old Jason Kidd footage when he was Mayo's age and you will understand where I'm going here. There are a lot of ways to score points and Mayo appears to choose the route of highest resistance.
What also should be noted is Mayo's jumpshot is more often than not taken off balance. Again while I can agree it goes down with frequency, an off balance shot is one that sooner or later will be in some real need of correction. If he is going to use that shot, which I noticed neither a great deal of elevation nor a quick release on in the NBA where the players defending him will be almost as blessed as he is athletically, working on setting and squaring his feet will be imperative.
According to DraftExpress, "People putting out “pre-preseason” All-America teams and not including Mayo just aren’t thinking clearly. Mayo is an instant 20-5-5." But I have a really hard time imagining Mayo doing the number he did on high school cagers to teams like UCLA, Arizona and Stanford -- or the rest of the PAC 10 for that matter. Honestly, unless Mayo has a spectacular college season I wouldn't be surprised to see his draft stock drop drastically. Mid first round would seem to be the logical place. But hey, this is the NBA we are talking about and invisible clothes being sighted are common and miracles happen simply because they want them to ala Shawn Bradley. And everyone knows what a great idea it was to draft him.
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