O.J. Mayo, the Southern Cal phenom, has a ticket to the NBA. But he’s still a college freshman, so Mayo could get in trouble for getting an NBA ticket.
Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony gave Mayo a ticket to Monday’s Nuggets-Lakers game in Los Angeles, which could prove to be a violation of NCAA bylaw 16.11.2.2.3, which 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.”
Before Wednesday’s game, Anthony said: “I don’t see why it would be a violation. I’ve known him since he was in, like, middle school. Obviously, if I thought it was going to be a problem, I wouldn’t have done it.”
An NCAA spokesman said, “We don’t know the specifics of the situation and won’t be able to comment.”
Mayo is a potential high lottery pick this summer.
Melo out.
Anthony missed his first game of the season because of a sprained left ankle suffered in Monday’s game. Denver coach George Karl said Anthony won’t play Friday but could return Sunday at Dallas.
“(Tuesday) was probably my worst day. It stiffened up really bad,” Anthony said Wednesday. “Today I got some more treatment, loosened it up.”
Nene reunion?
Karl said he’s “hoping” to have Nene visit the Nuggets today, possibly at practice. The forward had surgery to remove a cancerous testicular tumor Jan. 14. “We can’t wait until he comes back,” forward Linas Kleiza said. “We all want to see him.”
Footnotes.
Guard Allen Iverson played with an injured left wrist suffered Monday. . . . Guard Chucky Atkins, who had sports hernia surgery Jan. 11, had stitches removed Wednesday and will meet with doctors again today. Atkins said he’s still shooting for a mid- to late- March return. . . . TNT will announce the All-Star Game starters tonight at 5 p.m. Based on previous vote counts, Anthony will likely start for the Western Conference.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
