Dear Mr. Mayo —

We happened upon ESPN.com today, to check up on our fantasy baseball team’s performance and see if any more NBA signings had been announced, when we stumbled upon this potentially life-changing, yet totally unconfirmed, news: it sounds like you’re considering coming to USC:

O.J. Mayo, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2007, told the USC coaching staff and players last week that he would commit to the Trojans, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

The 6-foot-4 Mayo, as recognizable a high school recruiting name as LeBron James and Greg Oden, made the statement while on his unofficial recruiting visit last week in Los Angeles. He still needs to make that sentiment public, though. He could do so as early as this weekend at the Reebok ABCD Camp on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, N.J.

High school recruits often say one thing to a coaching staff to appease them and then sign somewhere else during the fall and spring signing periods, but multiple sources told ESPN.com that the Trojans simply are awaiting official word from Mayo. Even after he makes an announcement, though, the Trojans would have to hang on to his commitment until the November signing period.

Now please know — we’re not getting carried away or booking Final Four accomodations. We are well aware that:

(a) This is all totally unconfirmed by you. And even if you do come out and confirm it, we can’t make anything official until November. Which is a long, long time that could be filled with plenty of temptations and distractions from all around the globe, from the way it sounds.

(b) The chances of you staying at SC for more than 1 year are zero. So while USC will be the center of the hoops universe for one season with you, they’ll have to follow it up with other solid recruits to sustain a serious resurgence.

That being said, we’ve seen your game footage. We’ve talked to people who have seen you play. O.J., you come for one season, that’s just fine by us.

Now, as you try to finalize your decision, there are a few things about the University of Southern California, and Los Angeles, that we urge you to consider:

(1) You’re sitting on the chance to spend one year in the center of the world’s media capital. We know you can’t hire an agent yet, but if you could, he would tell you that’s going to help put your Q rating through the roof. All you need to know — it all equals more money in the bank in the long run.

(2) We hear there’s an open spot in Leinart’s old place, that comes furnished with a sampler package (e.g. 100-200) from his black book. Trust us — you want that.

(3) You already play for the Trojans (the North College Hill H.S. Trojans in Cincinnati); they wear cardinal and gold, we wear cardinal and gold. It’s just so much easier than having to learn a whole new team name and adjust to a new set of colors. Not that you couldn’t handle it — but why bother if you don’t have to?

So O.J., this should answer any questions you have about this big decision. But should you find yourself needing any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line here at TrojanWire.

Postscript, to Andy Katz at ESPN: if you’re pulling our leg on this one, we’re going to sic Lendale and his new grill on you. — Ed.

Sources: O.J. Mayo told USC staff he was committing [ESPN]