We’ve become a big fan of Chuck Klosterman’s work in the last year, and not just because he named-checked us in an ESPN e-ticket piece. His column in Esquire is usually obtuse, but interesting, but where he really excels is on the NBA (this is probably the best column that’s ever run in ESPN the Magazine). He did a Q&A with Randball recently, and came up with this jarring observation about OJ Mayo:

Mayo is more complex. He’ll either be awesome or useless. There is something strange about his attitude; he seems detached in a way I cannot define. He might end up being a version of Vernon Maxwell who passes well, or a [redacted] sociopath.

First, props for the obscure Vernon Maxwell reference. Second, Vernon Maxwell? Right now, OJ Mayo is wondering with anyone tangentially connected with ESPN is not a fan of his. Here are Mad Max’s transgressions, so beautifully detailed here:

- didn’t pay child support
- infected a woman with herpes
- charged with kidnapping and assault
- took his daughter to get a blood test to see if he was her father – and gave her $40 not to tell her mom (the test proved he was her father)
- failed a drug test during the NCAA tournament in 1988
- took money from an agent while at Florida, and all his records were wiped out
- Maxwell once played an awful game against Tennessee and didn’t score – later, his coach admitted that Maxwell was drunk

Guessing what Mayo will become is complex. Some might say Harold Miner because they both went to USC. But Mayo appears to be a better defensive player and a more polished offensive threat. Mayo compared himself to Deron Williams, but we disagree – he’s not nearly the same shooter or ball handler as the Jazz point guard (Mayo tried to sell himself as a PG leading up to the NBA draft because it would improve his stock with teams; he’s not an NBA point guard). We also saw a Chauncey Billups comparison, which seems like it could be accurate; but someone also mentioned Joe Forte, which might also be apt. All this disagreement is why we remain surprised Mayo went 3rd in the draft this year. We don’t see him scoring 20 a night, and we don’t know how he’ll handle not being The Man for the first time in his career.

How’s this – Alvin Robertson from the Bucks? Elite defender in the league in the late 80s, capable of scoring anywhere from 10-17 points a night, and a complimentary player who makes an All-Star game a handful of times.

‘Mad Max’ threw away talent and much more (St. Petersburg Times)
Q&A with Chuck Klosterman (Randball)