Was O.J. Mayo banned from the NBA? On a day when NBA free agent signing news is all the buzz, that is probably not a story you expected to see on your news feed. However, any team hoping to sign the talented guard to a free agent contract this summer is apparently out of luck.
Mayo has been slapped with a two-year ban by the league. At the end of that two-year period, he may apply for reinstatement, according to Deadspin . The NBA has distributed a press release on the subject of Mayo’s status.
“The NBA announced today that free agent O.J. Mayo has been dismissed and disqualified from the league for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.
“Under the Anti-Drug Program, Mayo is eligible to apply for reinstatement in two years.
“The NBA, NBA teams, and the Players Association are prohibited from publicly disclosing information regarding the testing or treatment of any NBA player under the Anti-Drug Program, other than to announce a player’s suspension or dismissal from the league.”
O.J. Mayo kicked out of NBA for use of hard drugs, cannot return for two years. https://t.co/kVghxRdOqn pic.twitter.com/jvqGpLKqn2
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 1, 2016
This is not the first time O.J. Mayo has been disciplined under the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program. While Mayo was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2011, the NBA suspended the six-foot-five guard for 10 games due to a positive test for PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs). Mayo claimed that the positive drug test occurred as a result of ingesting an energy drink that he purchased from a gas station.
Under the NBA’s CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), it would appear that O.J. Mayo has been banned by the league for what the NBA terms a “drug of abuse.” The published list of such drugs includes amphetamines, cocaine, LSD, heroin, and morphine.
As reported by CBS Sports , this is the first time in a decade that the NBA has handed down a multi-year suspension for drug use. Chris Andersen was banned by the league for two years in 2006 and successfully applied for reinstatement when he became eligible. Andersen, a six-foot-10 center and power forward, has played in the NBA for the last nine years without incident.
O.J. Mayo being banned by the NBA was certainly not what anyone expected when he entered the league with great promise in 2008. He was chosen third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in that year’s NBA Draft but was part of a multi-player trade that landed him in Memphis. Mayo’s career began very well, as he posted impressive numbers as a rookie (18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in 2008-09).
Since that excellent rookie campaign, however, Mayo’s production has steadily decreased, while his off-the-court problems have increased. Over the years, O.J. Mayo has earned a reputation as a player who has not shown a consistent drive to succeed and, as a result, hasn’t maximized his talent or ability. After having been a high draft pick with the expectation of becoming a star, Mayo was already being labeled a “disappointment” a few years into his NBA career.
In addition to the perception of Mayo as an underachiever, his reputation took a further hit when he was admonished by the NBA for his first violation of its anti-drug program. Five years and three teams later, he has now found himself “dismissed and disqualified” by the NBA.
O.J. Mayo being banned at this time is very unfortunate for him, as he just became a free agent after spending the last three seasons in Milwaukee. Despite his struggles, he is still a very talented player and, with the recent increase in the NBA’s salary cap, was likely going to cash in this summer. He will now have to wait at least two years before continuing his basketball career in the NBA — if he is ever allowed to return at all.
[Photo by John Raoux/AP Images]