Tharon Mayes: From NBA Courts To Global Stardom And Youth Leadership
Explore the journey of Tharon Mayes, a standout guard who lit up the NBA, CBA, and international leagues before dedicating his life to youth sports and mentorship. Discover his full basketball legacy.
Jul 24, 20251.7K Shares157.3K Views
Tharon Rex Mayes was born on September 9, 1968, in New Haven, Connecticut. He grew up in that city and attended Hillhouse High School, where he played basketball and developed his skills as a guard.
Mayes graduated from Hillhouse in 1987 and was known early on for his quick hands and strong scoring ability. He eventually earned a scholarship to play college basketball at Florida State University. He stood 6 ft 3 in tall and weighed around 175 lb. In high school, his performance drew attention from college scouts, leading to his move into the NCAA level the following year.
Career
Tharon Rex Mayes began his pro journey in 1990 after graduating from Florida State. He first played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1990 to 1992. In the 1990–91 season, he scored 25.1 points per game, the third highest in the CBA that year, and his 1,354 points set a season record for the team. He made the CBA All Rookie Team in 1991.
Mayes had short stints in the NBA. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers during the 1991–92 season, appearing in 24 games and averaging about 4.1 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
He then played a long international career from 1992 to 2000. His stops included:
- Belgium with Castors Braine (1992–93),
- The Philippines with Purefoods TJ Hotdogs and Formula Shell Zoom Masters,
- Germany with Rhöndorfer TV (1995–96), where he led the team with 17.7 points per game,
- Spain in the ACB league for teams like Breogán Lugo, Sierra Nevada, and Murcia, scoring around 14–23 points per game,
- Israel with Hapoel Tsfat and Hapoel Holon,
- And finally with the San Diego Stingrays in the International Basketball League in 2000.
After retiring, Mayes moved to Toronto and started a basketball camp. In 2003, he returned to Florida State University to finish his criminology degree. He also worked in youth programs across Toronto, Florida, Boston, and New Haven, eventually becoming sports director at the Boys & Girls Club in New Haven in 2009.
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