Mayo has instant impact

It didn't take long for OJ Mayo to impress his new teammates and fans in Hunan.

Hunan Yongsheng Basketball Club, a top side in China's second-tier National Basketball League (NBL), announced last week it had signed Mayo, who was the third overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Over the weekend, the 32-year-old American shone in a pair of preseason wins over Guizhou.

On Saturday, Mayo scored a team-high 24 points. On Sunday, the 6-foot-4 guard scored 13 points in the opening quarter and contributed some critical defense in the last quarter to secure the win.

"We are doing good, we are still trying to get familiar with one another. As we get closer to the first game of the season, you'll see us playing better," Mayo said after Sunday's game at Changsha Social Work College Arena.

Mayo drew the loudest cheers during the two games, and was surrounded all the way to the locker room by excited fans snapping selfies.

"I didn't expect one day I could watch Mayo playing in Changsha. I remember when he was the best high school basketball player in the US. His shots and moves tonight still remind me of his NBA career," said 29-year-old Wang Qiming.

In eight NBA seasons, Mayo played 547 games for the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists. In July 2016, he was suspended by the NBA for two years for violating the league's anti-drug program. After that, he traveled around the world, playing in foreign leagues.

When asked whether he wanted to one day return to the NBA, Mayo said: "My main focus right now is to bring the championship to Changsha."

Luo Yongbiao, general manager of Hunan Yongsheng, liked what he saw on the weekend.

"After all these ups and downs, OJ is very self-disciplined now. His training, diet and relationship with teammates are all good, and he is focusing on playing at a high level.

"What we appreciate most is that he is willing to share his skills and thoughts with our young players." Hunan Yongsheng will open the NBL season on May 19.

Besides Mayo, the club has two other foreign players－former Los Angeles Lakers guard Jabari Brown and Canadian center Liam McMorrow.

Xinhua