random o.j. mayo facts

Here's an eye-popping factoid on O.J. Mayo, one of this year's top NBA draft prospects and a big name in high school and college hoops for the past few years:

Mayo scored 29 on his ACT and made the honor roll at USC.

And another:

There were no off-court incidents that people could point to...

Holy crap. Kid got brains. Even if one gives him no benefit of the doubt and assumes his score is artificially high because a bunch of "handlers" made sure he took a bunch of prep courses first ---which I find hard to believe because he obviously doesn't need any of that -- he still did quite well on the ACT, better than a large majority of test-takers I'm sure. And I'd guess he's off the charts for elite basketball players. Someone like that doesn't need other people taking his tests for him at USC.

On top of that, he's got no rap sheet to speak of and has been spoken of as a responsible, upstanding kinda guy by folks who have known him. Since when has a basketball player with zero thug cred been so highly touted? Seems like someone forgot to tell him he was supposed to act like so many other players of his caliber.

Mayo would seem like the sort of well-spoken, respectful, unselfish team player the league needs badly right now. He has the potential to do wonders for the image of the league if (when?) he becomes a superstar -- which is why the NBA front office must be freaking out right now. If this is what it looks like, it's highly possible a model citizen could slip through the cracks and break into their league. Stern and his cohorts had better play this one carefully.