[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

Shooting star came with lot of hype
Left with even more

BY RYAN ERNST | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

In Cincinnati high school sports lore, O.J. Mayo probably will be remembered more as a phenomenon than as a basketball player. But when you peel away the layers of controversy and extensive media coverage of the past three years, you'll find a flashy yet fundamentally sound player whom those in prep basketball circles consider one of the city's all-time best.
"I think he has superstar written all over him, if he wants it bad enough," said HoopScoop editor and publisher Clark Francis. "He's a tremendous talent."
Mayo, largely regarded as the top player in the class of 2008, played for three seasons at North College Hill before transferring to Huntington (W.Va.) High School earlier this year. The 6-foot-4 point guard was a two-time Ohio Mr. Basketball who averaged 28.6 points last season.
And with that kind of talent came a lot of attention.
As a middle schooler, he had his own Web site. In April 2003, when Mayo transferred from Rose Hill Christian in Ashland, Ky., to North College Hill, the story made front-page headlines in The Enquirer for a solid week, and USA Today and ESPN also reported on it. His recent transfer also made national headlines. Mayo, a top recruit for both colleges and shoe companies, signed autographs after most games.
An "O.J. Mayo" search on Google retrieves 122,000 hits. A similar search on online auction site eBay retrieves tens of hits, including an auction accepting bids for a replica NCH jersey emblazoned with Mayo's name and No. 32.
"He's the biggest draw of any (high school) player since LeBron James," Francis said.
And like James, Mayo backed up the hype on the court.
As a freshman he led the Trojans to a 21-1 record. He also led the city in scoring with 30.9 points per game and averaged 8.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 5.2 steals. As a sophomore he teamed with boyhood friend Bill Walker to lead NCH to its first of two Division III state titles. The following year, NCH faced a beefed-up national schedule and finished the season ranked third in the country in the USA Today Super 25 rankings.
Scout.com called him "one of the most unselfish stars in years. He passes the ball like an advanced player, shoots it deep, and there's no way to stop him off the drive in high school. Big-time competitor who consistently wins, meets challenges and sets the bar for kids in his class."
Despite the all-city, all-state and All-American accolades Mayo earned at NCH, his biggest stage was the national Amateur Athletic Union circuit.
"He dominated year-round," said local AAU guru Ozie Davis.
"Whenever there was a question about who he played in high school, it was always answered in the summer. He dominated at every level. His AAU team was extraordinary. It was a pleasure to see. On the AAU circuit, they'd sneak through the back door to see him play."