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One of the major storylines just after the 2016 playoffs was the two-year ban imposed on the 8-year NBA veteran guard OJ Mayo.
Mayo played his college basketball at University of South Carolina before declaring himself for the 2008 NBA draft, where he was selected 3rd overall by Minnesota Timberwolves.
On July 1st, 2016, the league announced that the Milwaukee Bucks guard OJ Mayo had been suspended for two years from the NBA. The league did not release details of the infractions committed by OJ Mayo which led to the longest suspension in NBA history.
Even prior to the two-year suspension, OJ Mayo had caught the ire of the NBA on multiple occassions. In 2011, the NBA suspended Mayo for 10 games after the player tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He later blamed the positive test on an energy drink.
OJ Mayo's career before the ban
The third overall pick in the 2008 draft, Mayo has played 8 seasons in the NBA for three different teams - Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and his last team, the Milwaukee Bucks.
He has career averages of 13.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 37.3%. OJ Mayo made it to the NBA playoffs three times - twice with the Memphis Grizzlies and once with the Milwaukee Bucks.
OJ Mayo was widely considered a good prospect coming into the NBA. The No. 3 pick in the 2008 NBA draft, Mayo started every game for the Memphis Grizzlies his first season and averaged 18.5 points per match, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2015-16, he battled a variety of injuries and played just 41 games. When the offseason arrived, he was an eight-year journeyman coming off the worst season in his career.
However, he was still just just 28 years old and was a career 13.8 points-per-game scorer capable of playing on multiple positions on a team.
During the 2018-19 season, OJ Mayo was eligible for reinstatement but no NBA team signed him, thus effectively ending his career in the United States. If not for his issues with PEDs, he might have been a good rotation player with a much better and longer career.
Unfortunately for OJ, his legacy in the NBA will be remembered for receiving the longest suspension in league history.
OJ Mayo is 33 years old now and currently plays in the Chinese Basketball Association for the team Liaoning Flying Leopards.
Guess the Lakers players!
