Just like that, it's over. After three years filled with headaches, the Marquette basketball career of the greatest underachiever in program history is over.
On Wednesday night it was announced that Todd Mayo will forgo his final season with the Golden Eagles and attempt to go pro either overseas or in the NBA Development League. Marquette fans, are you really surprised?
When Mayo first stepped foot on campus, everybody knew him as OJ Mayo's brother. I never talked to him one on one but I have a feeling that he wanted to form his own identity through impressing people with his own unique skill set, and he did so right away.
People started labeling the younger Mayo as someone that could contribute instantly on what was one of the best teams in recent Marquette history. Unfortunately, Mayo became his own worst enemy.
Visiting his home state of West Virginia, Mayo played a large part in a bar altercation that ended with then head coach Buzz Williams giving Todd, and some of the other players, a slap on the wrist punishment. So many players were suspended that good ole Juan Anderson saw the floor for an extended period of time.
Over the course of the rest of that season and the following two years, Mayo was repeatedly suspended for "violating team rules" which is the politically correct way of saying he did actions that would be a black eye to the program if they came out to the media.
As many people have told me, Mayo was not suspended for measly incidents like skipping out on practice. These were serious offenses that were signs that Mayo has a problem between his ears. He is wired a certain way that focusing solely on basketball and reaching his full potential was not his top priority.
At times over the past three years Todd Mayo was the most clutch player on the team. Big shot after big shot would come from Mayo's fingertips. On a team last year that was desperate to find some sort of scoring, Mayo stepped up big time. Credit him for at least doing that.
The most frustrating part of the whole Todd Mayo saga was how great he was and how much better he could have been. Do not be surprised if you see him one day playing in the NBA. The man has the scoring ability and instinct to be productive at the next level. What Mayo needs most is a mentor.
Yes, with his big brother in Milwaukee this past season, Mayo behaved better off the court. Better for Mayo though meant not getting suspended multiple times. Buzz was an instrumental mentor that stuck by Mayo through thick and thin but he never really disciplined his former player in a way that would change how he acted.
I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm cheering for Mayo to succeed in the future. The Nick Kapetan from two years ago would hate present day Nick Kapetan for saying that but it's true; I want him to make it to the NBA.
Don't get me wrong, I will always label Mayo's time at Marquette as an overall failure. The guy could have been one of the all-time greats. He could have been "the man" on this upcoming years team but instead he did what most athletes with talent do; chase the money. Hopefully, in the end, that decision won't come back to bite him.
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