Hold the Mayo

Growing up, basketball wasn’t always a big part of my life. I’d watch games here and there but didn’t follow the sport closely. That all changed when I started playing NBA 2K10. Like a lot of kids, video games were my gateway to sports, and one of the first players I truly connected with was O.J. Mayo.

I discovered O.J. Mayo in NBA 2K10, back when I was just getting into the franchise. His stats weren’t those of a superstar, but there was something about him in the game that instantly grabbed my attention. He had that smooth jumper, could drive to the basket with confidence, and had this aura of potential that made him a go-to player for me, even though he wasn’t the highest-rated. I remember spending hours perfecting his shot, learning how to make him a standout player on my team. I didn’t know much about him at first, but the more I played, the more curious I became about who he was in real life.

That led me to start watching his highlights on YouTube. I learned how Mayo had been a high school phenom, one of those players people had been talking about since he was a teenager. He was the guy everyone thought would be a future NBA star. And honestly, watching those highlights, I could see why. He had this incredible scoring ability, a swagger on the court, and the kind of confidence that made you believe he was destined for greatness.

What’s crazy is that, even though Mayo’s career didn’t end up the way people thought it would, that didn’t change how I felt about him. His journey, with all the ups and downs, became part of why I found him so inspirational. Life doesn’t always go the way we expect, but it’s how you handle those challenges that really defines you.

I think what inspired me most about O.J. Mayo wasn’t just his talent, but the way he carried himself. There was this sense that he always had a chip on his shoulder, always trying to prove himself, even when the media and fans were quick to judge. He wasn’t just about the flashy plays. He was about working hard and fighting to find his place in the league. As a kid, that resonated with me. I wasn’t the best at basketball, but seeing a player like Mayo, who didn’t always have everything handed to him, gave me hope that hard work could get me far, too.

Through Mayo, I fell in love with basketball. I started following the NBA more closely, not just as a casual fan but as someone who wanted to understand the game on a deeper level. I played 2K religiously, trying to mimic Mayo’s game on the court, and started playing pickup games with friends, imagining I was hitting those step-back jumpers just like he did.

But everything shifted when Mayo was suspended from the NBA for two years in 2016. It was a huge blow to me, especially since he was one of the reasons I loved basketball in the first place. Seeing him disappear from the league like that made me care less about the sport. It felt like a part of the excitement and inspiration I had for the game was gone. I still watched here and there, but the passion I had during those early 2K days started to fade. Mayo’s suspension became a turning point for me. Without his presence, my connection to basketball weakened, and I slowly began to drift away from the sport.

In the end, O.J. Mayo became more than just a player I used in a video game. He was the reason I got into basketball in the first place, and why I learned to appreciate the grind, the setbacks, and the beauty of the game. Even though his career took an unfortunate turn, he still left a lasting impact on me as a fan.