USC Coach Tim Floyd said Wednesday that he told star freshman O.J. Mayo that he could accept free Lakers tickets and that if anybody should be punished for potential NCAA violations, it should be the coach.
"My feeling is that if there's a mistake made, it was made by me," Floyd said. "If they want to suspend me for a game, suspend me for a game, but not the kid. He did the right thing."
Floyd said he thought it was acceptable for Mayo to receive complimentary tickets from Denver Nuggets All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, whom Mayo has known since the seventh grade, because the players were friends. Mayo attended the Lakers' 116-99 victory over the Nuggets on Monday at Staples Center.
Anthony was also caught by surprise. "I don't know how in the heck it got that serious," he told the Rocky Mountain News on Wednesday. "It should be nothing against [Mayo]."
The NCAA is aware of the matter but a spokesperson said the organization would not comment on current, pending or potential investigations.
Mayo said he had been contacted by USC compliance representatives, but Tim Tessalone, the school's sports information director, said university officials would not comment on potential NCAA violations or confirm whether they were investigating.
Asked if he was concerned that his actions could constitute an NCAA violation, Mayo said, "I'm not worried, man. I'm worried about Oregon State." The Trojans play the Beavers tonight in Corvallis, Ore.
Mayo acknowledged that he also attended a Clippers game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in November. James Dunleavy, a Trojans freshman guard, said he took Mayo as his guest; Dunleavy's father, Mike, is the Clippers' coach.
James Dunleavy said USC assistant Bob Cantu told him he could take any of his teammates to a Clippers game once a semester.
"I just had to make sure [it was OK] because obviously I didn't want to get my dad, or the Clippers or anyone on our team in trouble," Dunleavy said.
It is not clear if attending either game would represent an NCAA extra-benefits violation on the part of Mayo.
NCAA bylaw 16.11.2.2.3 states that student-athletes may not receive "free or reduced-cost admission to professional athletics contests from professional sports organizations, unless such services also are available to the student body in general."
