I just got home from the Huntington high game. They annihilated Ripley high school 105-62. It would have been much worse had they not taken OJ and Patterson out for the fourth quarter. OJ had 34 and a myriad of spectacular dunks including an amazing one in which he alley ooped himself off the backboard (TMAC style). He is for real and will make an awesome pro. Next up for the Highlanders is Spring Valley, my team. Any tips for how to guard a bigger, stronger, faster, player like OJ Mayo?
there is nothing you can do. I had to guard WAgner in AAU when he was senior, and it was impossible. The only thing I would advise is dont let him take your heart and go right back at him. Earn your respect.
Give him a hard foul early and tell him to say good bye to his career, watch out for getting undercut and "Bruce-Bwned" i.e rolling his ankle on your foot. Even though he knows you´re not going to do anything that stupid it´ll still be in the back of his mind.
Any tips for how to guard a bigger, stronger, faster, player like OJ Mayo?
If he's really got you beat in all 3 of those categories (and talent on top of that) then there's really nothing you can do. I would start by playing off of him and making him hit his jumper first. If he's hitting, then you should basically just bend over and drop your pants for the rest of the game, but if he's off then you might have some kind of chance to keep him from blowing past you every time down.
Another thing is to put a hand in his face when he shoots. Don't go for the ball because you're not going to get it, and if anything you'll probably get called for a foul on his elbow. So put your hand straight out and in his face so he has to shoot blind. Battier had a lot of success doing that to Kobe tonight. Yeah, I know Kobe went for 52, but when Battier was guarding his jumpers, he generally made him miss.
how to guard player who's already projected as top 5 pick year and a half before he can actually enter the draft? (assuming you're average-above average high school player and not an immediate nba prospect?)
NO WAY you'll most probably get torched badly, but don't lose your mind over it, there isn't really much you can do except give your best. guy is probably going to be nba all star, and you'll be able to tell your kids how you played against him:)
how to guard player who's already projected as top 5 pick year and a half before he can actually enter the draft? (assuming you're average-above average high school player and not an immediate nba prospect?)
NO WAY you'll most probably get torched badly, but don't lose your mind over it, there isn't really much you can do except give your best. guy is probably going to be nba all star, and you'll be able to tell your kids how you played against him:)
What stoping him from saying that even if he did not haha just kididing
seriously, just play physicaly with a guy like that, try and take him out of his game. Don't let him do what he wants, if he gets away from you, you wrap him up and make him earn it. Don't kill him, but knock him on his ass.
OJ Mayo is a beast
you'll most probably get torched badly, but don't lose your mind over it, there isn't really much you can do except give your best. guy is probably going to be nba all star, and you'll be able to tell your kids how you played against him:)
