Zeke Mayo

BORN: 18/12/2002

LAST TEAM: Kansas Jayhawks (NCAA)

HEIGHT: 6-4 / 193 cm

WEIGHT: 185 / 84 kg

PRO

• Shooting consistency
• Movements off the ball
• Basketball IQ

WEAKNESSES

• Physicality – strength
• Managing possessions – turnover prone
• Defensive effort

VIDEO

EUROBASKET.COM

REALGM.COM

ACTUAL

POTENTIAL

INTRODUCTION

Zeke Mayo broke out at South Dakota State, after a freshman season he exploded as a sophomore, earning a spot on the First-Team All-Summit League. In his junior year as a do-it-all lead guard, he was named Summit League Player of the Year and received First-Team All-Summit honors after the 2023–24 season, where he won the Conference title. He parlayed that mid-major production into a transfer to the Jayhawks, where he stepped into a high-profile role, finishing second on the roster in points scored and minutes played. At the end of the season, he was named Big-12 Newcomer of the Year and placed on the Third-Conference Team.

PHYSICAL

Zeke Mayo has an adequate size for a combo guard with a slender frame. Dynamic, he moves well off the ball but lacks the explosiveness to attack the rim at lightning speed. While he has good coordination and body control, his physicality could benefit from an increase in upper body muscle to finish through contact in traffic. He has room for improvement in foot speed and lateral mobility. Overall, he does not possess elite athletic tools, and for this reason, he may become an impactful player in Europe and find it difficult to secure a spot in NBA rotations.

OFFENSIVE PHASE

Zeke Mayo is a high-IQ scoring guard who blends efficient catch-and-shoot spacing with downhill attacking instincts. Over 2000 points scored in four years with a consistent 39.7% from beyond the three-point line on 5.9 attempts per game. He attacks closeouts decisively, using change-of-pace floaters or pull-ups in the midrange. However, he can struggle to finish at the rim and has room for development as a slasher. In secondary handler scenarios, he impacts pick-and-rolls by reading when to drive, when to kick, and when to pull up. His numbers indicate he is comfortable creating for others when required (2.9 assists per game), but his possession management makes him more productive off the ball. Turnovers can rise when he’s forced into prolonged iso duty (2.5 with the Jayhawks, compared to 3.1 at SDSU), but overall, he presents as a two-level threat (catch/drive) who stretches defenses with reliable perimeter shooting.

DEFENSIVE PHASE

Zeke Mayo projects as a competent on-ball defender in structured schemes. He can use his size to impact the perimeter, struggling against crafty guards but is versatile and can guard multiple opponents. Against bigger, longer forwards, he may be targeted in switches due to his limited length. His reactivity makes him useful on the boards (over 650 grabbed in his career, averaging 5 per game), which can turn into quick transitions. Overall, this is not the half of the court where he excels; his effort is not the most intense and energetic (1.1 fouls on average per game), but in a well-constructed defensive system, he can contribute.

IMPROVED AREAS

Zeke Mayo needs to strengthen his physical dimension in order to finish more effectively through contact and reduce inefficiency in traffic-heavy possessions. Developing as a creator off-the-dribble would raise his offensive ceiling, allowing him to generate scoring opportunities beyond catch-and-shoot actions. On defense, incremental improvement in lateral quickness and reactivity would help him contain quicker guards more consistently. By refining his playmaking reads and adding muscle without losing mobility, he could expand from a reliable floor spacer into a more complete backcourt contributor at the professional level. The potential is there to become an elite player at the European level within a couple of seasons.