Mayo’s number

[EKUlifer]

Anybody else surprised EKU is letting someone wear number 10?? Blatant disrespect to the best player ever at this school. 10 = Mayo.

[Steve 82]

We have not retired it, so it is fair game. Hope we do retire it sometime.

[EKU05]

I'm a little surprised. Steve is correct that we haven't retired it, but it's also not super uncommon for programs to unofficially take a number out of circulation in anticipation of eventual retirement. I suspect we'll do it officially at some point after he retires from pro ball.

With that having been said, there are only 36 total jersey numbers that are legal in college basketball since you can't use any digit over 5 (37 if you count "0" and "00" as two different numbers). Sometimes schools will just hang up a jersey without taking the number out of circulation.

I know, having been to many Louisville games over the years that they've put up the names and numbers of many players, but only four numbers are officially retired, and one of those is the now illegal #8 for Charlie Tyra, the father of current U of L Athletic Director Vince Tyra.

[Maroon Forever]

I’m a little surprised to see it reused so soon after Mayo’s departure. Nick was a great player here and I loved watching him play. He was certainly the best player we’ve had in years. He was the best big man since Garfield Smith who starred in Army ball and played for the Celtics after he left the service. However, I believe the title of best ever should go to Jim Baechtold. I think his being the NBA Rookie of the Year with the Knicks pretty much seals that.

[EKU05]

I’m a little surprised to see it reused so soon after Mayo’s departure. Nick was a great player here and I loved watching him play. He was certainly the best player we’ve had in years. He was the best big man since Garfield Smith who starred in Army ball and played for the Celtics after he left the service. However, I believe the title of best ever should go to Jim Baechtold. I think his being the NBA Rookie of the Year with the Knicks pretty much seals that.

Where are you getting the info that Baechtold was the rookie of the year? As best I can find, his rookie season was 1952-53. The ROY that year was Don Meineke of the Fort Wayne Pistons.

Even if he did win it, he didn't play for the Knicks until later in his career. His rookie season was with the Baltimore Bullets. He average less than 9.7 PPG over a pro career that lasted five seasons with three teams. That doesn't mean he isn't better than Mayo, but it's difficult to compare across eras.

Doesn't Turk Tillman deserve to be in this conversation as well?

[Maroon Forever]

That’s right about the Bullets, my bad. The Rookie of the Year came from an old Eastern media guide. Apparently in error. Tillman was special. One of my all time favorites was Tony Paris. I’ve over wondered how many points George Bryant would have scored if the three point basket had been around when he played. Thanks for fact checking me.

[Maroon Forever]

He was a first round draft pick, second overall.

[EKU05]

He was a first round draft pick, second overall.

Yes, that is true. He only lasted a single season in Baltimore, though (still more than Mayo to be fair).

[BigDawgEKU]

Random Mayo update. He is playing on a new team in Japan this year and is off to a great start. Averaging 24 points and 9 rebounds through his first six games.