At the McDonald’s All-American game in Louisville in March, Mayo went 4 for 17, clanging the potential game-winner in the final seconds. But Mayo says he has enough confidence to keep firing, a lesson his idol, Kobe Bryant, reinforced last summer during the final moments of a deadlocked pickup game in L.A. Mayo had made three straight shots, but he passed up the deciding jumper, feeding an open shooter instead. Mayo’s teammate missed; Bryant’s team won. Afterward, Bryant pulled Mayo aside and offered some advice: “When you’ve got it going like that, take the shot!”

“What if he’s open?” replied Mayo.

“It’s different if you’re throwing it to a player you feel can make that shot,” said Bryant. “But throwing it to him just because he’s open doesn’t give the team the best shot of winning.”

Mayo nodded. “It kind of made sense,” he says. Translation: You’re crazy if you think I’m passing in crunch time this season.

I feel like that’s valuable insight into both players.

Via TrueHoop