LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Former Southern Cal basketball star O.J. Mayo has been dropped by his agent ahead of the June 26 NBA draft because of the "overwhelming intensity" of allegations that Mayo illegally received cash and gifts. Mayo had announced that Calvin Andrews of Bill Duffy Associates would represent him. But the Walnut Creek, Calif.-based sports management group issued a statement Thursday saying their association was over. Because of "the overwhelming intensity of recent allegations regarding the recruitment of O.J. Mayo, we feel that our representation of him is a distraction for he and his family at this time," the statement said. "This should be the best time in his life and anything that takes away from that enjoyment and the experience of this process is not fair to him." BDA Sports said it will ask the NBA Players Association to waive the standard 15-day cooling off period so Mayo could sign with a new agent immediately. Among the NBA players represented by BDA are Carmelo Anthony, Greg Oden, Steve Nash and Yao Ming. Louis Johnson, a former associate of Mayo's, told ESPN that events promoter Rodney Guillory received money from BDA Sports and funneled cash and gifts to Mayo, who played one season at USC before declaring for the draft. Mayo has denied the allegations, which are being investigated by the NCAA, Pacific-10 Conference and USC. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Does anyone else find this strange? Almost guilty? Why would they drop him weeks before thier big comission? wierd link: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=414917
When you think about it, wouldn't that cause alot of thier other clients to cut ties? How would you feel being represented by someone that drops you as soon as allegations come around? How can you trust an agent that bails on you when you really need em? That should be a big shot to thier credibility. Maybe they thought it was the right thing, but I don't think they thought about it to much and just reacted out of fear and pressure.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Big Frame @ May 23 2008, 06:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Why else would a agent drop a player with Mayo's skill?</div> I really only know about this case through ESPN, but it seems like their backs are against the wall and the only thing they can do is try to save face by distancing themselves from the situation. I don't think Mayo can face any legal trouble if he's found guilty, can he? Wouldn't he just face college sanctions, which since he's declared for the pro's would only hurt USC and not Mayo, right? The ones with their asses on the line seem to be BDA and USC, so by dropping Mayo, it looks like BDA is trying to act like they were completely aloof to any wrongdoing this whole time I guess. I'm with Natta on BDA. If I were one of their clients, I'd really think hard about changing my representation.
I'm with you as well, VooDoo . I think they did want to distance themselves from the situation. I'm not sure they realize that but cutting Mayo loose all that does is draw more attention and suspitions...distancing looks supect. But I think your right, I don't think anything can happen to Mayo but if USC is directly involved or at least knew about it but didn't report anything...then it's thier asses on the line
I think you just have to look at BDA's clients to see why they thought they could go through with dropping Mayo. Clearly they're one of the better firms in the NBA that has the luxury of picking and choosing its clients. I think the allegations themselves will be more harmful to their business. Which big college prospects will want to be affiliated with a firm that'll not only indulge in illegal activities, but also allow them to be exposed?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ May 23 2008, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think you just have to look at BDA's clients to see why they thought they could go through with dropping Mayo. Clearly they're one of the better firms in the NBA that has the luxury of picking and choosing its clients. I think the allegations themselves will be more harmful to their business. Which big college prospects will want to be affiliated with a firm that'll not only indulge in illegal activities, but also allow them to be exposed?</div> I see where your coming from, but what's done is done. Just because they drop Mayo doesn't mean the investigations are going to stop. And if they are found guilty it doesn't matter if Mayo is a current client or not, the fact would remain that they gave him money/gifts to get him to sign after college, which he did. The damage is done, why cut him loose. The whole argument about them cutting him for the good of his family is garbage...the media will be on them regardless. And if on the flip side, if everything was proven to be false and nothing ever happened between Mayo and a booster then it makes BDA look bad for ditching a client when he was in need just to try and save face. I feel that if nothing really did happen then it would've sent a stronger message to other clients that thier agency is behind them through thick and thin. Not dropping them at the first sign of trouble.
I'd be willing to bet that Mayo actually fired them. Apparently he liked BDA and Calvin Andrews but was being pressured from his mom and high school coach to fire them. Maybe the pressure finally got to him but because there was no animosity between them he let them spin the break up to not admit they were on the receiving end.
Good call, dude....it's official now... So now all that ranting and raving I did earlier was for nothing....lol. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources: Mayo dumps Duffy By Adrian Wojnarowski and Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports May 22, 4:11 pm EDT Buzz Up PrintLOS ANGELES – O.J. Mayo has fired Bill Duffy and Associates and will select a new agent before leaving for the Orlando pre-draft camp next week, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports. Calvin Andrews, an agent for BDA, had been in Chicago trying frantically to hold onto his client. Since the agency was the center of an ESPN investigation into possible improprieties in the recruitment of the USC freshman star, a fierce tussle has played out behind the scenes for control of the 20-year-old prodigy’s future. As first reported by Yahoo! Sports, Mayo’s mother, Alisha, and her son’s former Ohio high school coach and one-time legal guardian, Dwayne Barnes, wanted O.J. to fire BDA, sources said. The mother and coach are encouraging Mayo to hire New York-based agent Andy Miller, whose clients include Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Detroit’s Chauncey Billups. “I’m unaware of any connection I have with the family, but I’m flattered that they would throw my name into the mix feeling that I could play some sort of constructive role to rectify a very chaotic situation at present,” Miller said by phone Thursday. After Mayo files paperwork saying he has fired BDA, NBA Players Association rules prohibit him from signing with another agent for 15 days. The wildcard in the scenario is Leon Rose, who represents Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James. Mayo is aware of the endorsement possibilities, especially the Nike connections, that come with James’ own marketing arm, LRMR, a source said. Mayo met with William Wesley, the famed basketball dealmaker known as World Wide Wes, who has a close relationship with Rose. The two spoke Wednesday at the Attack Athletics Training Center in Chicago, where the 6-foot-5 guard is preparing for the June NBA draft. “We did not talk about Leon or anything like that,” Wesley told Yahoo! Sports Thursday. “I wouldn’t care who he went with. Our relationship is just friendly. As far as I know, he’s under contract with BDA.” Mayo was believed to be personally partial to Andrews, but mostly preferred that this drama end so he can close this chaotic chapter and return his focus to basketball. Satisfying the demands of his mother and former coach may be the quickest way to do that. Andrews didn’t return messages to Yahoo! Sports. In an ESPN report on May 11, scorned Mayo confidant Louis Johnson alleged that BDA funneled more than $200,000 to Los Angeles-based event promoter and agent runner Rodney Guillory with hopes of winning favor with Mayo. Johnson estimated that Mayo received approximately $30,000. Both Mayo and BDA denied the charges. USC, which could face major sanctions if the allegation is proven, has refused comment. However, university sources told the Los Angeles Daily News on Wednesday that the school plans to tell NCAA that it had no knowledge of any wrongdoing despite the coaching staff having a close relationship with Guillory. The allegations surrounding Mayo’s recruitment and signing with BDA has pulled the curtain back on how sports agents and runners have an active hand in recruiting clients when they are still in high school and often work in concert with college coaches to place stars on campus for one or two years. Mayo has been a national star back to his junior high school days in Huntington, W.Va. He played under and lived with Barnes at North College Hill High School, just outside Cincinnati, before returning to West Virginia for his senior year. Guillory played a role in bringing Mayo to Los Angeles, working as the conduit between the player and Trojan coach Tim Floyd. Mayo led USC to the NCAA tournament in his one-and-done season on campus. Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AtNl...o&type=lgns
Better question, why would any college star want to sign with BDA if they know OJ got money and they didn't?
