e’s executing the pick and roll, he won’t hesitate to punish him instantaneously by knocking down a shot. He can also pull-up off the dribble from mid-range, stopping on a dime and creating terrific separation from his man with a high arching release. He can hit difficult shots with a man in his face, moving left or right and using the glass when needed”
NCAA Weekly Performers, 1/9/08-- Part One
“There was no question that we were watching a player with a supreme work ethic, which becomes most noticeable when you take a look at the way he shoots the ball—showing outstanding mechanics that are identical every time, with terrific footwork, balance and arc on his shot, setting his feet instantaneously as soon as he catches the ball, and never looking rattled even when he has a man in his face heavily contesting his shot. Clearly this is the best part of his game at the moment.”
Cross Country Workout Swing, Part 4, A.T.T.A.C.K. Athletics, Chicago
Now:
Mayo’s merit as a shooter is undeniable. In the early season he has shown a level of variety in his offensive game that most rookies lack, showing the ability to make shots off the dribble, coming off screens, or spotting up when his teammates penetrate or push the ball in transition. His shooting mechanics are nearly flawless, as he has a high release point and always gets full extension on his follow through. In addition to his mechanics, he never wastes a motion in from the time he receives the ball to the time it leaves his fingertips, never dipping the ball on a catch –just going straight up and out. His form lets him get great arc on his perimeter shots, an important quality for any player taking as many jumpers as he does. In addition to his ideal form, Mayo also gets great elevation on his jumper, enabling him to get his shot off against the bigger opponents that he is facing regularly.
He’s currently sporting a 56% true shooting percentage, with the majority of his shots coming from the outside (17-20 feet). As a freshman in college, with a much shorter 3-point line, he shot exactly the same true shooting percentage. His range and results from beyond the arc have been superb as well –his 41.4% shooting ranks him competitively with most of the top shooting guards in the NBA. Clearly Mayo is a supreme shooter.
A great deal of his shooting success has a lot to do with what he does before he even has the ball. His preparation when he moves without the ball allows him to get shots off, despite his height and lack of a particularly quick release. His footwork is usually impeccable, as he stays low coming off screens, catches the ball on a quick one-two step, and then explodes up into his shot. However, there are instances where Mayo won’t come off hard on a screen and settles for catching the ball further out. He’s much more effective when he catches it at the 3-point line or inside of it.
One of the most impressive things about Mayo is his lack of concern for the proximity of his defender. He is not fazed in the slightest bit by an opponent being in his chest as he still somehow manages to get his shot off and looks very comfortable in doing so. This strength can also be also be construed as a weakness with some of his shots seeming rather questionable at times. His confidence probably contributes to his shooting prowess more than anything. The guy truly believes every shot he takes is going in and will not let a few misses affect future attempts.
Part Two: Getting to the Basket
Then:
“Mayo doesn’t seem to be getting by defenders the same way he did in high school, meaning that once he’s at the rim, he usually has one defender that he hasn’t quite fully beaten, and another shot-blocker rotating over—a situation that he’s not really used to dealing with right now. He’s getting his shot blocked too often, and is trying to get too cute with his finishes in others. Small adjustments to his game—for example knowing how to use his body better to initiate contact and keep his defender at bay, and using some crafty tricks to finish once inside the paint—will make him much more productive. He still has plenty of time to pick up these small nuances, and if he indeed has as good of a work ethic as reports indicate, should be able to in due time.”
NCAA Weekly Performers, 1/9/08-- Part One
Now:
Mayo clearly does not possess the explosiveness that many of the perimeter stars of the game have. When attempting to get to the basket, defenders often stay with him –not allowing him to get all the way to the rim. His lack of a quick first step is evident in the half court, as he often resorts to floaters or pull-up jumpers when he can’t beat his man to the basket. As a result, Mayo is only attempting 4 free throw attempts per game, which is way too low for someone with his skill level and who is shooting 88.5% from the charity stripe. He also has a tendency to shy away from contact by fading away for a tough shot or getting too fancy which contributes to his lack of free throw attempts. He has a very strong upper body, and when he learns to use it when attacking the cup, he’ll draw fouls at a much better rate.
Right now, Mayo relies extremely heavily on his jumper as a huge source of his production. 10.3 of the 14.5 shots (71%) Mayo averages each game come on jump-shots—of which he makes an impressive 45%. He’s far more likely to pull-up off the dribble than take the ball all way to the basket, which will continue to hurt his shooting percentages until he makes the adjustment. The problem is that once he does inside the paint, he’s just an average finisher at the rim, converting on a poor 50% of his attempts around the basket (which includes wide-open layups and such).
Even though he lacks an incredible first step, Mayo has shown that he can get to the basket at times because of the cerebral nature in which he plays. He reads defenders very well and is able to get opponents leaning, either with a ball or shot fake, opening up paths to the hoop. He has a great handle and keeps the ball very low as he is often below his defenders shoulders when trying to drive –a must for a player without great speed.
When handling the ball in pick and roll situations, his deceptiveness enables him to get in the lane as he’s either going away from the screen or splitting it nearly one-third of the time according to Synergy Sports Technology, which keeps the defense guessing. When he splits screens however, he tends to force the action which can lead to a great play but also result in turnovers going the other way.
If Mayo wants to develop into the first-option type elite NBA scorer that he appears destined to become, he must continue to work on getting to the free throw line and finishing his drives around the rim. There will be nights that his jumper is off or teams are focused entirely on not allowing him to get his shot off—in those games, he must learn to impose his will on defenses and create high-percentage scoring opportunities. This is likely the part of his game that will decide whether he indeed becomes an all-star level player.