Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

From the first few possessions, O.J. Mayo played with the confidence of a guard who expected to create something every time the ball found his hands, whether that meant pulling up off the dribble or punishing a defender who gave him even a sliver of space. His scoring instincts stood out throughout his career, but what often separated his best stretches was the way he mixed shot-making with patient pick-and-roll reads instead of settling for difficult attempts on every trip.

Here’s a detailed profile of Luc Mbah a Moute:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
  • Nationality: Cameroonian
  • Age: Born September 9, 1986
  • Hometown: Yaoundé, Cameroon
  • Height: 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 meters)
  • Weight: 230 lbs (104 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 0 inches (2.13 meters)
  • Shoe Size: US size 15 (
  • Number: Most notably wore 12, 33, and 23
  • Position: Small Forward / Power Forward
  • High School: Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida
    • Developed his basketball skills at one of the premier high school programs in the U.S.
  • College: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (2005–2008)
    • Key contributor to UCLA’s Final Four appearances in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
    • Averaged 8.8 points and 6 rebounds per game in his collegiate career.
  • NBA Draft: Selected 37th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
  • Teams Played For:
    1. Milwaukee Bucks (2008–2013)
    2. Sacramento Kings (2013–2014)
    3. Minnesota Timberwolves (2013–2014)
    4. Philadelphia 76ers (2014–2015)
    5. Los Angeles Clippers (2015–2017)
    6. Houston Rockets (2017–2018)
    7. Los Angeles Clippers (2018–2019)
  • Championship Rings: None in the NBA.
  • Kids: Mbah a Moute has kept his personal life private, with limited information available about children.
  • Siblings:
    • Comes from a large family with several siblings.
    • His twin brother, Emmanuel Bidias a Moute, also played basketball at the collegiate level.

Player Archetype / Play Style

O.J. Mayo’s player archetype was that of a scoring combo guard, a polished perimeter shot-maker who blended pull-up shooting, secondary playmaking, and self-created offense more than pure point-guard orchestration or defensive specialization. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Mayo had strong NBA guard size, a solid frame, and enough burst and body control to operate on or off the ball, though his game leaned more on skill, balance, and shot creation than top-tier explosiveness. Offensively, he fit as a high-usage scoring guard who could space the floor, work from mid-range, handle pick-and-rolls in stretches, and manufacture points from the perimeter, while defensively he was better suited to holding his own within team structure than serving as a true lockdown stopper. His overall play style was smooth, confident, and scoring-driven, with his best value coming from his ability to create tough jumpers, punish defensive gaps, and function as an instant-offense backcourt weapon.

Scouting Report

O.J. Mayo always looked most dangerous when he could flow from one scoring option into the next without resetting the possession. Defenders knew the jumper was coming, but that was only part of the problem. He had a compact release that required very little space, and once opponents started flying at him, he’d attack the closeout with controlled dribbles into pull-ups, floaters or strong finishes before the help could fully arrive. What stood out was how comfortable he was scoring from awkward spots on the floor. He could come off a high screen, reject it if the defender cheated, or simply stop behind the pick for a three, giving defenders several decisions to process in quick succession. As a passer, he generally made the read the defence expected rather than manipulating the weak side himself, moving the ball effectively once help committed but rarely dictating rotations through advanced playmaking. Defensively, his tools suggested more than the consistent results. There were stretches where he stayed engaged at the point of attack, used his strength to absorb contact and anticipated passing lanes well enough to generate transition opportunities, but sustaining that level of concentration through multiple off-ball actions wasn’t always there, and disciplined offences could occupy him with continuous screening and relocation. That’s the trade-off. His offensive confidence sometimes led him toward difficult jumpers early in possessions when a simpler option may have produced a better collective result, yet that same willingness also made him capable of making shots that many players wouldn’t even attempt. I’ve always thought he fit best next to a primary playmaker who could shoulder organisational duties, allowing Mayo to attack rotating defences instead of building possessions from scratch. In that role, his scoring instincts became much sharper because he could focus on exploiting cracks instead of creating them. To me, his game shared elements of Ben Gordon’s shot-making confidence and Eric Gordon’s ability to attack aggressive closeouts, although Mayo leaned more toward rhythm scoring than overwhelming defenders with power or relentless rim pressure.

Fun Facts

  • Renowned for his defensive skills, versatility, and leadership.
  • Career averages: 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game.
  • Played a key role in defensive schemes, often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player.
  • Part of the Houston Rockets team that won 65 games in the 2017–2018 season.

Sources: NBA.com — O.J. Mayo | Guard | Memphis Grizzlies ; NBADraft.net — OJ Mayo ; Basketball-Reference — O.J. Mayo Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more ; ESPN — O.J. Mayo Career Stats – NBA