Gary Parrish

Will O.J. Mayo cost Southern California its next freshman star?

"His main thing is, he wants to go (to USC) and help build the basketball program," Frank DeRozan, father of USC signee DeMar DeRozan, told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. "But we can't do that with a cloud hanging over the school's head."

So yeah, USC fans, it actually can get worse.

Not only has Mayo damaged the reputation of your program by allegedly receiving thousands of dollars in gifts and cash from a "runner" for an agent before and during his one year of college, but now it appears the allegations could cause the Trojans' top incoming prospect to ask for a release and re-open his recruitment. DeRozan is a consensus top five prospect, a likely one-and-done player like Mayo. And according to family members, he is not interested in playing at a school that won't be eligible for next season's NCAA tournament.

The NCAA has announced it is investigating the allegations surrounding Mayo.

A postseason ban for USC is a possibility.

"If (USC) can't make the tournament next year, that's what we're going to college for," Jermaine DeRozan, DeMar's half-brother, told the Los Angeles Times. "If you do your one year, you at least have to shine and get to the tournament with the intentions of winning it or get to the Elite Eight.

"I'm just hoping SC doesn't get put on probation," he added. "(If it does), I would get . . . out of there."

DeRozan's coach at Compton High, Tony Thomas, said schools are positioning themselves to land DeRozan if he asks for a release. He told the Los Angeles Times that assistant coaches from two of the Final Four teams -- which were Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina and UCLA -- have already called.

"They wanted to make sure if anything happened, don't forget about them," Thomas said.