Former Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard OJ Mayo had recently promised to return to the NBA after he finished serving the two-year suspension the league handed him last July for violating its anti-drug program.
The 28-year-old, eight-year pro was "dismissed" and "disqualified" by the NBA on July 1 after he was found out to be breaking the NBA's anti-drug program. He is said to be clear to apply for a reinstatement after two years, which would be in the summer of 2018.
The NBA Players Association is not allowed to publicly disclosed information about the drug "testing or treatment" of any of its members and so it was not quite clear what did Mayo do to earn such penalty.
Rumors are out that it is not a simple case of performance-enhancing drugs, but actual "drug abuse", which could include any or a combination of amphetamines, cocaine, LSD, PCP, heroin, codeine, or morphine.
Of course, those are just rumors, but according to the NBA's rulebook, testing positive for these substances warrants an automatic ban.
CBS Sports reported that the former USC standout has appealed the suspension and the process is "in the works". However, the report also mentioned that the appeal actually "didn't work" as Mayo is due to be away from the league for the next two seasons.
In an interview with TMZ, with the video shown in the said article, Mayo said that he "will be back soon" and that he had already appealed the verdict, but it is still on.
He also mentioned that he will come up with his own statement soon, but that he had just come off a foot surgery and his focus is to recuperate from that at the moment.
Mayo is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he had not been suspended by the league.
Bleacher Report confirmed that the two-guard was "ruled out" late last season "because of a fractured ankle" and that may be what he is referring to during his interview.
The article also noted that Mayo already has a history of violating the NBA's anti-drug program as he was given a 10-game suspension in 2011 for using PEDs.
