Top 57 Quotes & Sayings by O. J. Mayo

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American basketball player O. J. Mayo.
Last updated on December 25, 2024.
O. J. Mayo

Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo is an American professional basketball player for UNICS of the VTB United League. He played a single season of college basketball for the USC Trojans while earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors. However, he was retroactively declared ineligible when it was discovered that he had received improper benefits in violation of NCAA rules before he even played a game, and the Trojans vacated all of their 21 wins from the 2007-08 season.

There are just so many substances that are considered banned substances because in some way it could help your performance on the court. As athletes, we should be responsible for what we put in our bodies.
I got into a fight in my 10th-grade year, and it was on ESPN. It was a mistake, and you learn from it. Starting from the seventh grade, everything's been magnified like that. It's kind of like you have no childhood.
I was a struggling college student like everyone else. I bicycled to class. — © O. J. Mayo
I was a struggling college student like everyone else. I bicycled to class.
I was real close with Jason Kidd.
I signed my first autograph when I was 11.
In the barber shop you start playing checkers, and eventually you want to learn how to play chess. The pieces look a little more interesting. You're doing more things. I'm pretty good at it.
When you've got guys touching the ball on the offensive end, they're really into the defensive end.
A lot of people who went to SC didn't play ball - people who do films, lawyers and doctors, people who do things in real estate and business. There's a lot of people that make things happen out here.
I knew guys in my neighborhood who should have made it somewhere but got stuck. I wasn't raised like that.
It's hard to get a rhythm when you don't know what's going to happen for you night in and night out.
I'm just looking forward to going out there and getting the opportunity to show that I'm a starting guard in this league and I can compete with the other starting guards in this league and compete at a high level.
If your shot is broke, you at least want to shoot it comfortably. You want to be comfortable shooting a broke shot. You don't want to be uncomfortable shooting a broke shot.
What's the average time you live on earth - like 60, 65 years? Basketball's gonna take up half of it. I'd like to be successful in the other half, too. — © O. J. Mayo
What's the average time you live on earth - like 60, 65 years? Basketball's gonna take up half of it. I'd like to be successful in the other half, too.
Obviously a strength of mine is shooting.
It's all about getting better. You don't want a coach that says, 'It's all right, it's all right,' and it's not all right.
If you work hard, it'll pay off sometimes.
Sometimes in the NBA, the schedule gets to be a lot with all these events, busses, planes and games. But once that's gone, you miss it so bad.
Every man writes his manner. I just made poor decisions.
I really believe I can come in and contribute for any team possible.
I've got a short memory span.
I apologies to my fans, teammates and the Grizzlies organization for regrettably not doing the necessary research about what supplements I can put in my body.
I really try to handle my business on the floor.
I was 19 before. I understand how you want to come in and do so many things on the positive side. You're going to do some negative things because you don't know yet; you're still learning.
I need to work on timing and the pace of the game. I need to know when to slow it down and speed it up.
I kind of just trust what I do and do what I trust.
You don't want to be ball chasing or really forcing the issue because that looks bad. You've got to just take what they give you and have an opportunity to knock down some shots.
At the end of the day, I just want to win.
When you're on campus, you go through a lot of hard times and you need someone to talk to.
It was a poor decision on my end to definitely disrespect the game. Poor decision of mine to misrepresent the Bucks, myself, my family, obviously my teammates.
Attending USC has been such a great experience for me and has really helped prepare me for my next step in life.
It's tough to get any win in the NBA, but when you're at home it gives you a push to get that win with your crowd behind you.
I've just been eating, sleeping basketball.
I feel like the sky's the limit, and anything could happen.
This is a job to me. Hopefully, it's a job that I can do for money one day. I love this game.
I was the star of a film you don't want to be the star in.
I just miss being around my mother. I'm her boy. I'm a momma's boy.
When you're at home, you want to take care of home court. — © O. J. Mayo
When you're at home, you want to take care of home court.
That was the lowest point in my entire life: The shellshock of not being in the NBA. All my peers are playing and I'm not because of boneheaded mistakes.
If you rode to my mother's house, it's still a two-bedroom house, one floor. She still drives the same Toyota Corolla that she drove for the last three years and is still trying to meet ends. So for them to say I received $30,000 or whatever the case is, I definitely don't think that's enough to sell out myself and my family.
Not too many guys can say their career was always on the up. You just endure it and continue to work hard, continue to try to be a better player.
I'm not under any pressure. I'm just a kid having fun playing basketball.
I had no idea that the over-the-counter supplement that I took was a substance banned by the NBA. It was an honest mistake, but I take full responsibility for my actions.
When you mess up, teams wonder whether they want to put their hands on you. I respect that. They can only go by a rap sheet or a resume.
I wanted to be here because Marquette is a good school. I like the fans. I like the community. But as far as someone to talk to, I didn't know if I would have that here.
I make mistakes, but each and every day you want to try to better yourself to be a better person and learn from your mistakes.
I am focusing on the process of making my dream come true, which is to play professional basketball.
I try not to pay attention to all the hype. — © O. J. Mayo
I try not to pay attention to all the hype.
Sometimes you may not study and get a little worried, but playing under a coach like J-Kidd, I felt super-prepared, just learning from him.
I was telling some of my friends that I really wish college did pay because then you have an opportunity to have fun in college and enjoy college life and have a comfortable living.
I understand compliance and I understand the rules. Any meal, I wouldn't pay for everybody but I would at least pay my end.
I've just learned that you can't take this game for granted. You have to stay professional and stay focused and stay prepared to produce and continue to work hard. Nothing's given.
I think it's a great thing that players have to go to school for at least a year. I think it definitely helps you in the long run.
Since I was like 6 or 7, I've always had a basketball season.
I definitely feel like I can fulfill any role that a team needs me to fulfill.
Magic Johnson didn't play the style that Larry Bird did, and Michael Jordan sure didn't play the style that Magic or Bird played.
I did a paper on why is race so uncomfortable to discuss. Is it because you don't want to bring up bad history in America? You want to be conscious of whatever you say about that because it's a serious point.
Taking the game away is probably the closest thing to jail that I'll get to.
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