July 6, 2009
Senior forward Jeremy Buttell of the UIC men's basketball team is spending his summer as an intern for the UIC Sports Information Office. Today "JB" checks in with a story he penned on his former roommate and one of UIC's all-time best scorers, Josh Mayo.
CHICAGO- A model student, athlete, and person Josh Mayo left UIC as the school's fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,718 points.
However, Mayo is far from satisfied.
Josh graduated with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and nutrition on May 8. Less than 24 hours after walking the stage, Mayo relocated to Dallas to start preparing for his future.
For as long as he can remember he has had the same goal: to turn his passion into a profession.
Making the transition from a college basketball player to a pro has not been easy, as Josh has been working out anywhere from two to four times a day.
"Not only are the workouts longer; they are more intense," said Mayo. "That's the biggest difference between college and the pros: intensity."
Basketball is not the only thing Mayo has been working on. He and his fiancé, Meisha Baker, have been planning their long-awaited wedding this July.
"Wedding plans are going great! I'm able to say that because I'm in Dallas right now and she's taking are of all that," Mayo said jokingly. "But everything is running smoothly."
Although Mayo has been planning a wedding and living in the gym for the last two months, he still keeps in touch with his old teammates.
"I keep in touch with Jeremy, Spence, Zavion, Robo, and Scott," said Mayo. "I'm gonna miss 336 (his old room number with Buttell, Stewart and Vandermeer), all the good times we had, and all my teammates. That team was a family on and off the court. I don't think those guys will ever be replaced."
Throughout the summer months Josh has had private workouts with both the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks. He is currently waiting to find out if he will be participating in an NBA Summer League.
As for next year, Josh is entertaining offers both stateside and abroad.
-Jeremy Buttell
Fans can listen to podcasts featuring exclusive interviews with UIC head coaches, staff and student-athletes in two ways:
1. Download the free UIC Athletics Widget and click on the "UIC Flames Podcasts" link
2. Download podcasts for free on iTunes by searching "UIC Flames"
