USC coach Tim Floyd gave $1,000 to an associate of former Trojan guard O.J. Mayo, who now plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, said Louis Johnson, who formerly associated with Mayo. Johnson said he saw an envelope containing $100 bills that Robert Guillory told him totaled $1,000. The Associated Press describes the relationships between Guillory, Mayo and the Bill Duffy Associates sports agency.
Johnson had described Guillory as a “runner” who steered Mayo to the Bill Duffy Associates (BDA) sports agency. Johnson said Guillory received between $200,000 and $250,000 from BDA Sports for his efforts, which resulted in Mayo initially signing with BDA when he left USC after one season for the NBA in April 2008.
Mayo had switched to agent Leon Rose before he was drafted third overall by Memphis last year and was runner-up for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award to Chicago’s Derrick Rose.
If the NCAA finds that Floyd paid Guillory for delivering Mayo to USC, the Trojans could face significant punishment for a major recruiting violation. The NCAA is in the process of conducting an investigation related to the Trojans’ football and men’s basketball programs.
