INDIANAPOLIS—The NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff has reinstated the eligibility of University of Southern California basketball student-athlete OJ Mayo. It was found that Mayo violated the NCAA preferential treatment rule by accepting two tickets to a professional basketball game.

The acceptance of the game tickets is a violation of NCAA rules given the relationship between the ticket giver and Mayo grew out of athletics, as well as the fact that there was no previous pattern of benefits between the two parties prior to the student-athlete gaining attention for his athletic abilities.

Mayo, a freshman at University of Southern California, will be required to repay $460, the value of the two tickets, to a charity of his choice as a condition of his immediate reinstatement. Based on case precedent and the totality of the circumstances, the student-athlete will not be held from competition.

Normal reinstatement guidelines call for a withholding condition of 20 percent of competition based on the dollar value of this benefit. However, when determining the specifics of this individual case, the NCAA staff determined that repayment without withholding from competition was warranted since the university provided information that the student-athlete first asked his coach if he could accept the tickets offered to him and was told it would be permissible.  

During the reinstatement process, the NCAA reinstatement staff considers a number of factors including guidelines established by the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, any relevant case precedent, the student-athlete’s responsibility for the violation, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the university. 

The university can appeal the decision to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, an independent committee comprised of representatives from NCAA member colleges, universities and athletic conferences.