OJ Mayo: Perfect Fit for the Los Angeles Lakers?

As I pointed out in my last article on OJ, the average American college basketball fan knows little about OJ Mayo. They haven’t watched him play because USC basketball is never on national TV, and consequently rely on media portrayals, which are largely negative and paint a picture of an arrogant, selfish, and troubled gunner. Last night's loss might have reinforced some stereotypes, while in reality the USC squad was outcoached as Tim Floyd's double-team-Beasley gambit backfired. But these stereotypes couldn’t be further from the truth.

OJ Mayo takes 16 shots per game on a team that doesn’t even know how to run an offense, shooting at a respectable 44.2 percent clip, while making 41 percent of his three pointers. Having watched him play, I’ll make the case that too often, he tries to be too unselfish—to a fault. While he has indeed made teammates Taj Gibson and Davon Jefferson better, there are many nights when he leaves something to be desired, when he should have at least tried to take over the game—like Michael Beasley.

A few days ago, a long-time friend of mine made the comment that OJ “doesn’t dominate”—and I believe this is a far more accurate portrayal of OJ than that of the selfish gunner the media would have you believe. If anything, OJ lacks the ceiling of a Beasley or LeBron – but he is incredibly skilled, and has fine tuned his game to a level far beyond that of the rest of his freshman class.

Here, then, is why OJ Mayo would be a perfect fit on the Lakers.

Shooting: OJ Mayo has perfect shooting mechanics, and this is something that no one can disagree with. He has no hitch in his release, a quick release at that, and a tight rotation. He has a solid base, and doesn’t use too much wrist—one motion. You expect the shots to go in. The knock on OJ is that he has trouble getting to the rim and finishing—however, in the triangle offense, dribble penetration is not at a premium.

Defense: OJ Mayo is a lockdown perimeter defender who has shut down the likes of Derrick Rose and Jerryd Bayless. He moves his feet and has excellent anticipation. Currently, the Lakers are sorely in need of another perimeter defender to take the pressure off Kobe Bryant. All the cries for Trevor Ariza to come back – they would be immediately assuaged by OJ Mayo. He could spell minutes for Kobe.

Basketball IQ and intangibles: Phil Jackson doesn’t like to play rookies, but OJ Mayo isn’t your typical rookie. He is 20 years old, and will be 21 when the 2008-09 season begins—he should be a junior in college right now. He plays under control, and has toned his game considerably at USC—a sign of maturity and willingness to win.

Detractors say that OJ, at 6'5", doesn’t have natural point guard abilities. While I disagree with this—his floor game is at least as good as Larry Hughes—remember that Phil Jackson and Tex Winter’s triangle offense doesn’t require pure point guards. In fact, Phil Jackson prefers taller guards who can shoot and handle the ball: OJ Mayo.

There is so much talk about “potential” these days that we forget, most players do not reach their potential. Yes, it is true, that Eric Gordon, Derrick Rose, Jerryd Bayless, and Michael Beasley all have higher ceilings than OJ. This is why OJ’s draft status is at a low point now.

But the truth is, even though OJ may not have as much potential as his classmates, he has done a much better job working hard and maximizing them. Beasley doesn’t work on defense. Rose can’t shoot. Gordon doesn’t have a floor game. Bayless is light-years away from putting his game together. OJ—sure, he can’t sky like Bill Walker or Vince Carter, and he sure doesn’t get Jordanesque separation from his defenders—but he has worked enough on his game that it really doesn’t have any weaknesses.

OJ Mayo, if he continues to work on his game, can be a 6'5" version of Brandon Roy, only with superior shooting ability. Or, he can be a 6'5" version of Chauncey Billups. Now, that is something that would leave GM’s punching themselves for taking higher potential kids over OJ on draft night.

Now, the Lakers traded away their 2008 draft pick for Pau Gasol, so OJ Mayo on the Lakers would never happen. But man, oh man—it would be beautiful music if he played for the Purple and Gold.

Notes: OJ Mayo has had some negative portrayals of which NBA player his game resembles. Here are some facts to debunk those notions.

OJ Mayo = Ben Gordon? False. OJ Mayo is a good four inches taller and handles the ball better. Ben Gordon has short arms and thus is unable to play good defense, while OJ Mayo has a much longer wingspan. Ben Gordon's shot release is too high and consequently (by simple geometry) his shooting is streaky, while OJ Mayo has perfect shooting mechanics (start at 1:00 mark).

OJ Mayo = Stephon Marbury? False. Their games bear no resemblance at all.

Best of luck to a player who should already be in the NBA and struggling (but learning much faster) through his rookie season.