"There’s people out there that wish they were in my shoes, but they wouldn’t know how to tie the laces."
Zeke Mayo sits down with Josh to give us a glimpse into the human behind the hooper
In every draft, there are stars hidden within the clusters of players we see at the forefront.
We’ve all heard of Cooper. Of ‘Wemby’. The ones who dominated the spotlight, and rightfully so. These are generational prospects, who have been on deck for years, waiting for their chance to take a swing at NBA immortality.
But what about the ones who found a way to shine without a spotlight on them? The hidden gems? The perpetual underdogs?
Some players, like Lawrence, Kansas’ very own, Zeke Mayo, know what it means to find ways to work in the dark. To nurture their game away from the main stage and operate in silence until your work demands to be heard.
Zeke was not heavily recruited coming out of High School, but he still found his way to South Dakota State, where he improved year-to-year, eventually becoming the Summit Player of the Year in ’23-24.
He then turned a dream into reality, returning home and becoming a Kansas Jayhawk. It wasn’t something that was given to him. In his own words, Zeke understands “the amount of hours [he’s] put into basketball”. He knows his path to the draft hasn’t been a straight line. He knows the sacrifices both he and his family have made for this opportunity.
And, for how unselfish of a player and a person he is, you better believe this isn’t a shot that Zeke will pass up.
We, at Point Made, are honored to have Zeke take some time to sit down with us for an interview.
This is a glimpse into him as a player and how his path to the draft has taken shape. But it’s also a glimpse into who he is as a person. His character. His growth. His story.
Josh: With COVID impacting your senior year, you fell through the cracks recruiting wise, but stayed hungry and caught the eyes of many with your time at South Dakota State, eventually becoming Summit League player of the year.
What helped you stay motivated and pushing at that time?
Zeke: Coming out of high school, I was honest with myself to realize I wasn’t ready for P5 basketball. The game is a lot more intense, physical, and there are a handful of high IQ guys, and I wasn’t one of them out of high school. Thankfully, I chose a school that has great history with developing Mid Major talent & helping each of their players succeed to get to the next level.
My coaches were terrific at getting in the gym with me, watching thousands of hours of film, and just understanding my individual goals within the game of basketball and helping me achieve what I needed to. It wasn’t necessarily motivation because I never once thought of transferring schools and never honestly realized I would even have a shot at making the NBA until after my Sophomore season.
It was with the help of all my coaches and teammates at SDSU that really motivated me and helped me realize I could reach my goal of making it to the next level one day.
Josh: After the work you put in over 3 years as a Jackrabbit, you entered the transfer portal and got a chance to play for the team you grew up watching.
Can you walk us through how that felt and what it meant to turn a dream into a reality? How did that reality live up to the dream you had growing up?
Zeke: The dream was to play at Kansas all my life, and getting that opportunity was an incredible feeling. They were my first phone call & the only place I “visited” while in the portal. The moment I got out of the car to walk around the facilities and just be around a great coaching staff for a few hours, I knew it was where I wanted to be.
It also helped that I had a few childhood friends that played football there, and I constantly imagined what it would be like for us to represent the school we grew up watching together, so it was a great feeling.
Obviously we didn’t have the season we wanted to for many reasons, but it was a great experience to get to play in the mecca of college basketball in front of family, friends, old teachers, and just our amazing fans in general.
Josh: Now, you’re on the precipice of turning another dream into reality, as you prep for the NBA draft. I’m sure the draft process has felt surreal and has been a whirlwind.
How have you stayed focused at this time and what has this process meant to you?
Zeke: I’ve stayed focused through the fact that I don’t have a lot of people believing in me to be able to make it there. I love the feeling of being doubted and having something to prove. Going through these workouts has been a great opportunity to get in front of GMs and Presidents of the organizations to prove why I can compete on any level.
I’m overly grateful for these teams bringing me in and trusting me to compete at a high level. I’ve learned a lot in such a short amount of time at each organization, so these are all things that are allowing me to understand the NBA game a lot better.
Josh: You’ve expanded your game a ton since graduating from high school, improving from a year to year basis. What’s helped you accomplish that growth and what areas are you focusing on going forward?
Zeke: My trainers and coaches have done a fantastic job of studying my game and noticing things that I needed to get better at while also working to master the things I’m already good at. They have each helped me form into a player that can be recognized as a PG or a SG, and I think that’s helped me a lot throughout the process because it gives teams two different positions to view me at and where they see I can fit best in their system.
Going forward, the main thing I’m focused on is staying in the weight room and getting stronger. It’s an area that I’ve struggled with throughout my career due to health reasons, but it’s not something I’ll ever stop working at. Each part of my game has room for improvement, so I’m going to continue to expand my game and try to turn myself into a basketball player that’s multidimensional.
Josh: At Kansas, and during your time at South Dakota State, you thrived as a combo guard who could create for yourself and your teammates, while also being able to score from all over the court.
We’ve seen you adapt your game to cater to the role you need to play. What role do you see yourself playing at the next level and how do you see yourself making an impact?
Zeke: I can see myself in a Gabe Vincent or Mike Conley type of role. Gabe Vincent is someone who can space the floor and knock down open shots while also being a pest on defense. Right now, my defense is not even close to where it needs to be, but that comes with getting stronger and being able to handle physicality, which is something I’m going to continue to work at, so that will come with time.
The Mike Conley role is mainly being able to control the game, be a leader for the team, understand time and score, but he can also knock down open shots. Both guys are somewhat undersized, but their mentality is what separates them from other guards in the league and I believe I have that.
Josh: Part of the draft process is selling yourself, your skills, your work ethic, your ability to grow, your character, to NBA front offices and teams.
What are the things you want NBA front offices to know about you, as both a player and as a human?
Zeke: As a player, I’m someone who can bring together a locker room, someone who puts the team before themselves, and will work extremely hard at whatever the team needs me to do. No matter the role, I’ve proven time and time again that I can mesh into any role that’s needed of me, so that’s something I’m looking to do as far as basketball.
As a human, I like to keep to myself. Off the court, I’m not a very social person unless I’m around my close friends & family. I don’t get into any trouble, never have caused problems for anyone, and I just live my life with joy and passion.
Josh: I know there are a ton of expectations you run into on a day to day basis, from your teammates, your coaches, and, soon to be, GMs and front offices.
How do you balance these expectations with the expectations you have for yourself?
Zeke: I hold myself to a really high standard and that has gotten in the way of my performance a lot in my career. I never realized it until this year, but it’s something I need to work on because I don’t expect pity or empathy from anyone. I just know the amount of hours I’ve put into the game of basketball, and this is what I expect to use to be able to provide for my family in the future. They’ve sacrificed so much for me, and I want to be able to make sure they’re taken care of as my career moves forward.
To answer your question, the only way I know how to balance them is to understand reality. Everyone is going to paint this picture of you and have these expectations on you, but that’s because of what I’ve already accomplished. It’s the lens they look through. There’s people out there that wish they were in my shoes, but they wouldn’t know how to tie the laces.
So I just look at it as a privilege to be able to have these expectations because there’s always more expected from someone else, but in my mind, I focus on what goals are reachable and that’s what’s going to help me take the next step.
Josh: I love this man. It was already easy to root for you as a player, but I’m thankful for you taking the time to let us see you as a person too. Thanks again for the time. Means the world and we can’t wait to see you compete at the next level.
Zeke: Of course my man. Appreciate you wanting to do this.