O.J. Mayo going to Southern Cal

Just caught this on the AP wire. I don't pay a lot of attention to college basketball recruiting, but I heard quite a bit about this kid and this took me by surprise:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Guard O.J. Mayo, a two-time Mr. Basketball in Ohio who is considered the top prep prospect in the country, has signed a national letter of intent to play at Southern California.
His signing was announced late Wednesday night by USC.
Mayo, a 6-foot-5, 215-pounder from Huntington, W.Va., averaged 28.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, five assists and 2.3 steals last season as a junior at North College Hill High in Cincinnati. He led the school to its second consecutive Division III state title.
“We feel as a result of this recruiting class that it has changed the perception and expectations of our program,” USC coach Tim Floyd said. “In O.J. Mayo, we signed the No. 1 player in the country. We think the impact of him alone raises the level of the program.”
Widely regarded as the top player in his class since the seventh grade, Mayo began getting attention as a 13-year-old starter on the varsity team at Rose Hill Christian School in Ashland, Ky.
Mayo went on lead North College Hill High to two state titles before transferring to Huntington High in West Virginia for his senior year.
“He has a poise to his game that is uncommon for a player his age,” Floyd said. “I would encourage people to buy their tickets because he is worth it.”
Also signing national letters of intent with USC were forward Davon Jefferson of Lynwood, forward Leonard Washington of Lake Charles, La., and swingman Marcus Simmons of Alexandria, La.

 

Coach bullshit translated as: "If you wait to buy your tickets, he may have been suspended for fighting or dismissed from school for accepting all sorts of swag. And if you wait to buy your tickets, we may already be on probation and not worth watching by the time you get here."

 

Mayo's USC arrival has been known for sometime here. We'll see what happens.

 

I've heard Reggie Bush called to congratulate him and recommend an agent.

 

Think he might want to start going by his first name at USC, instead of the initials?

 

When he was at Rose Hill, I think OJ wore 32. Wonder if the number is available at USC?

 

north college hill, not rose hill

and, yeah, he's signed a letter of intent... who knows if he'll end up there or play there

 

Talking about his first high school, hoops.

Rose Hill is in Ashland, Ky.

 

ah... right... the high school he played for when he was in 8th grade. i think he was 32 at nch, too

 

I haven't followed this kid or anything, but is the fact that he has now played for three high schools some kind of a red flag? Or is that common these days for elite HS players?

 

Vdrf

Very common for elite hs players. And he played 7th and 8th grade at his first high school.

 

any coach in america would take oj mayo for one year