The Mayo - Rudy Dilemma

Rudy Gay is an electrifying player, but he is the Grizzlies' go-to guy only by seniority.

Indeed, in the span of a few games, OJ Mayo has proven to be a more complete player on both ends of the floor.

Rudy Gay has come through twice this year, once hitting a game-winning buzzer beater against Orlando, and another time hitting a pair of treys to seal the deal against the Warriors.

While this has put the can on the discussion as to who is top dog for now, look for OJ Mayo to grow into more of a creator and leader on offense, and for Rudy Gay to settle into a secondary role as a slasher and finisher.

Breakdown of Rudy Gay

The amount of time and energy Gay has put into perfecting his craft is evident. He has all the requisite skills to be a complete basketball player.

At 6'8" and 225 lbs., he is the ideal size for a small forward. He can jump through the roof and is built like a rock. He has three-point range. He can pull up either way, although he prefers going right. He can slash and finish with contact. He moves his feet on defense, reads passing lanes, and blocks shots.

However, he has yet to put together enough skills mentally to become the focal point of an offense. He is more Richard Jefferson than Tracy McGrady, more Jason Richardson than Kobe Bryant, more Travis Outlaw than Brandon Roy. He does not have that most elusive quality, that talent of understanding where all ten players are, where they are moving, and the correct read at any given situation.

The layman's term for this is "making teammates better"—because to the amateur eye, someone who is making the right split-second decisions reacting to team defenses (whether to drive left or pass right for a hockey assist, whether to spin right or do an up-and-under) naturally makes his teammates more efficient.

This is why on some nights, Gay excels, while on other nights he can disappear. This is why Gay is not a future Hall of Famer, despite the fact that if you put him and LeBron James in a gym and do individual workouts, you would not be able to tell them apart. Basketball is a team sport, and the elite offensive players manage the game, facilitate movement, and accurately read opposing defenses.

Rudy Gay is not as good a defensive player as he is an offensive player. Watching him get abused by Carmelo Anthony on the block tonight shows that he has a lot to learn.

This is not a knock on Gay at all. Anyone who averages 20, six, and two in his second season is doing something right. He will continue to develop into an All-Star. However, he has a teammate who will be an even better player in the future.

Breakdown of OJ Mayo

OJ Mayo does not play like a rookie. He plays like a fifth-year pro. 

He does not barrel into opponents, trying moves he watched on TV growing up to see if he can't emulate them. His level of skill going one-on-one on the perimeter is, shockingly, matched by only a few guards in the league. His perfect shooting form has been honed and looks the same every time—a quality usually evident only in veterans.

While it is true that he is a few years older than most of his fellow rookie class, he is more than a few years ahead of them in his understanding of the game. Defensively, he plays unflashy but great one-on-one defense, reminiscent of a longer and quicker Chauncey Billups in that he rarely gambles. He regularly plays 42 to 44 minutes a game, making efficient movements on the court, and playing a safe style not conducive to injury.

Most importantly, OJ Mayo has shown that aforementioned quality that Rudy Gay lacks—the court awareness to make teammates better—in his high school and collegiate days.

Unlike Gay, Mayo does not play one-on-one or one-on-two. He plays five-on-five basketball. This is the unmeasurable quality that can make or break team drafts and scouting careers. Of the entire rookie class, perhaps only Mayo, Rose, and Beasley have shown this potential of developing into franchise players.

So far, seven games into the season, OJ Mayo has not yet been handed the reigns of the team. So it remains to be seen how much his ability to be the focal point of an offense and to create for teammates will translate to the NBA. He still has lots to learn, although it is safe to say he is farther along the way than any of his peers.

Finally, a rebuttal is in order for all the detractors who say OJ Mayo lacks elite-level athleticism. While he will never attack the rim like Dwyane Wade, that is more of a knack and a talent, than sheer athleticism. In fact, only one person (Patrick Ewing Jr., who was recently waived) posted a higher max vertical than OJ Mayo at the 2008 Draft Combine in Orlando.  He is both faster and quicker than just about everyone else who tested.

Overall, he is one of the most athletic rookies in the league. What he lacks is a few inches in height and wingspan. While this will keep him from reaching Jordan or LeBron territory, it certainly does not keep him from surpassing Rudy Gay, or even (looking way ahead) becoming a future Hall of Famer.

In private circles, I have boldly predicted that Memphis will win 35 to 40 games this year. With the emergence of blue-chip prospect OJ Mayo, and Rudy Gay filling in the lanes, I'm taking this prediction public. Even though the Grizzlies have this dilemma on their hands as to who is the leader of their team, it's not like anyone in Memphis is wishing it would go away.