OT What if OJ Mayo went to the D-League?

wiff · Post #1 » by **wiff** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:51 pm

So I'm curious about what would have happened if OJ Mayo would have gone to the D-League instead of USC? I know the NBA has a relatively new rule saying you need to be 19 years old, or you can't enter the NBA draft the same month you graduate from High school.

OJ Mayo was 19 when he graduated from high school. This past November he turned 20.

Say OJ Mayo simply didn't want to go to college for whatever the case may be. Maybe the guy just wants to focus hoops and not worry about the schools side of things.

Does the rule state that you need to play an entire year in the D-League before a team can offer you a contract?

Also remember Danny Ferry? He simply refused to play for the Clippers and went to Europe until they traded his rights to Cleveland.

What if OJ Mayo doesn't want to play for a crappy team?

Could he go to the D-League put up some huge numbers and pick and choose through the offers? I imagine with the guys undeniable talent that teams would be willing to take a flyer on the kid just like half the teams have done with High school kids in the past.

If he skipped USC and went to the D-League could he be looking at contract offers today, from Dallas, Phoenix, or where ever he would prefer to go play like Orlando?

FARMERMAN10 · Post #2 » by **FARMERMAN10** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:35 pm

This would probably be a good question for the experts over on the CBA board

but my understanding is that if a player goes the D-league rout, he would still have to enter the draft. I can't imagine the league would have put in such an enormous loophole, that would allow kids to forgo college and sell their services to the highest bidder after a year in the d-league.

wiff · Post #3 » by **wiff** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:29 pm

Thanks Farmerman I'll try the CBA board.

FARMERMAN10 · Post #4 » by **FARMERMAN10** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:40 pm

no problem wiff

I'm sure someone there will be able to help you out

Big_Mac79 · Post #5 » by **Big_Mac79** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:49 pm

I guess if wanted to play for a winner like Dallas or Phoenix they could offer the MLE right? But wouldn't he probably get bigger offers from teams with cap room? So do you think he would take the smaller offer or take the big money?

Post #6 » by **bennith13** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:17 am

I think its 19 and or one year after your HS graduation.

Frozenropers · Post #7 » by **Frozenropers** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:04 pm

The NBA isn't MLB. Players can't skip the draft and play in the D-Leauge for a year and become free agents able to negotiate with any team they want to. If Mayo skipped USC and just played in the D-leauge for a season then he'd have to enter the NBA through the draft this season anyways. The NBA doesn't have the same loopholes that the MLB has.

CatchNShoot · Post #8 » by **CatchNShoot** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:03 am

This isn't related, but I finally saw Mayo play for the first time this weekend and he totally reminded me of Kobe Bryant. I don't know what it is, but he just seems like the same kind of player, and his mannerisms were spot on. It was weird.