O.J. Mayo disqualified from NBA for violating anti-drug program
Guard O.J. Mayo has been "dismissed and disqualified" from the National Basketball Association for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program, the league announced on Friday.
He'll be eligible to apply for reinstatement in two years.
Information regarding the testing or treatment of any player under the program is strictly prohibited from being publicly disclosed by the league, its teams, or the Players Association.
The new collective bargaining agreement dictates that "if a player tests positive for a drug of abuse, he will be dismissed and disqualified from the NBA."
List of previous NBA drug suspensions
| Date | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1/22/86 | John Drew | Utah Jazz |
| 2/25/86 | Michael Ray Richardson | New Jersey Nets |
| 1/13/87 | Lewis Lloyd | Houston Rockets |
| 1/13/87 | Mitchell Wiggins | Houston Rockets |
| 9/30/88 | Duane Washington | New Jersey Nets |
| 6/29/89 | Chris Washburn | Atlanta Hawks |
| 10/16/91 | Roy Tarpley | Dallas Mavericks |
| 9/16/93 | Richard Dumas | Phoenix Suns |
| 12/6/95 | Roy Tarpley | Dallas Mavericks |
| 11/24/99 | Stanley Roberts | New Jersey Nets |
| 1/27/06 | Chris Andersen | New Orleans Hornets |
(courtesy: ESPN's Marc Stein)
Mayo, 28, was suspended by the NBA in 2011 for 10 games after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which he believed was contained in an "energy drink" he picked up at a local gas station.
He spent the past three seasons competing for the Milwaukee Bucks before hitting unrestricted free agency this summer.
In 41 appearances during the 2015-16 campaign, Mayo averaged 7.8 points on 37.1 percent shooting. He sat out the final 18 games of the season after breaking his right ankle as a result of accidentally tripping down a set of stairs.