USC Ecstatic About OJ

No, not that one. The Trojans have found a new, slightly less controversial OJ to lead the Trojans to glory, this time on the hard court. But yes, he wears the same #32.

Teen phenom OJ Mayo (whose high school team, serendipitously, was the cardinal and gold-clad Trojans) started generating enormous buzz before he could shave. He is a two-time All American and two-time Mr. Basketball in Ohio. He is widely acknowledged as the number one prep prospect in the country; Trojan faithful are expecting his signing to further elevate USC recruiting, already ranked #2 in the nation.

OJ will help break in the Galen Center, a stunning new basketball facility located across the street from the USC campus. The north end has giant windows framing a view of the downtown LA skyline, but perhaps the most remarkable part of the new arena is the court itself. Many courts honor somebody famous, like UCLA’s John Wooden Court, named after the legendary Bruin coach. USC’s Jim Sterkel Court was named by an anonymous alumnus who donated $5 million for the naming rights. Sterkel passed away in 1997, and neither the donor nor anybody from the University informed his family about the honor. They certainly weren’t expecting it, because Sterkel was not a dominating player, successful coach, rich alumni, university president, or civic leader. He wasn’t even famous. But the donor was rich, and wanted to find a way to thank Sterkel for being the greatest person of all … a true friend.

With all the hype surrounding Trojan basketball, the team is still expected to go through a difficult rebuilding year until OJ steps onto Sterkel Court. Adding to the task is the painful loss of point guard Ryan Francis, who was killed in a drive by shooting near his home in Louisiana during the off season. He was honored at the arena’s first basketball game on Thursday, and the team will wear a black patch with his number on it for the entire season.

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