Nearly 18 years ago, LSU assistant coach Travis Mays was expected to be one of the NBA’s brightest young point guards, primed to lead playoff-contending teams for the next 10 seasons. But when Mays’ Atlanta Hawks played the Utah Jazz on Nov. 5, 1991, the Ocala, Fla. native’s future changed. “I tore the two tendons in my right ankle,” Mays said. “When the doctor told me that, it’s like I had no insides. I felt as though I was cold inside.” Mays signed a national letter of intent with Texas in 1986 after a scholastic All-America career at Vanguard High School. As a Longhorn, Mays evolved from a passer into a scorer, averaging more than 18 points per game. Mays was Texas’ most consistent performer on offense, scoring double digits in 100 of his 124 collegiate games. The 6-foot-2-inch guard won Southwest Conference Player of the Year honors his junior and senior seasons at Texas, making him one of the most coveted point guards in the upcoming 1990 NBA Draft. “I never thought I had a chance at [the NBA] until I won my second player of the year in college,” Mays said. “I was playing against guys I knew were future professional players, and I won an honor over them.” After finishing his collegiate career, Mays and his family were invited to New York to take part in the NBA Draft. Mays said being the No. 14 overall selection was one of the most memorable days of his life. “Being drafted is just like the final stamp on my dream coming true,” Mays said. “You’re in the green room, and you’re waiting for your name to be called. But when the commissioner calls your name and he hands you that hat, that’s a feeling that I could never describe.” Mays played in Atlanta the year after his injury but was released from the Hawks in 1993, forcing him to look elsewhere for an opportunity to stay in the game. After debating with his family, Mays decided to extend his career overseas. “The decision to go over there was easy for me, because I was a top pick in the draft and made the All-Rookie Team,” Mays said. “But when you have the big injury, it puts you out of the picture. At that point, I needed to gain reps.” Mays spent nearly 10 years overseas playing in Greece, Israel, Turkey and Italy from 1993-2001. He was named a First-Team All-Star playing for Italy’s Siena team. Despite the accolades, the former lottery pick was unable to earn an NBA contract during his time overseas, leaving the 33 year old at a crossroads. “I was in retirement coaching a [men’s] AAU team when I got a call from a good friend of mine who is the CFO for the San Antonio Silver Stars,” Mays said. “He asked me if I was interested in the possibility of an opening as a coach, and I told him absolutely.” The Silver Stars hired Mays in 2002, and he spend two seasons in the WNBA before returning to coach his alma mater in 2005. Back as a Longhorn, Mays served as a primary recruiter while helping mentor Texas’ guards. “He is definitely a player’s coach,” former Texas forward Annissa Hastings said when Mays accepted the Longhorns’ position in 2005. “It’s always great to have a coach run alongside everyone else. It makes me want to be better – to beat Coach [Mays].” When longtime Texas coach Judy Conradt retired in 2007, Mays was summoned by recently-hired LSU coach Van Chancellor to be a part of his staff. “Travis brings a great deal of experience to LSU from both the college and pro levels,” Chancellor said. “He has been very successful everywhere he has been, and that is what LSU needs to keep the legacy that Sue Gunter established going in the right direction.” Mays has helped the Lady Tigers haul in one of the nation’s best recruiting classes in 2008 while helping tutor LSU’s guards. Senior guard Erica White has been coached by former guards Pokey Chatman and former teammate Temeka Johnson throughout her four-year career. White said Mays is one of the coaches who has helped her progress throughout her career. “All of those coaches have helped me become a better player,” White said. “Coach Mays is real hands-on with helping the guards become better players. A lot of coaches tell you to do something, but with [Mays] he can show you by actually doing it himself. That’s very helpful.” With more than 10 years of playing experience and more than five years coaching, Mays said he will continue to go where his heart leads him throughout his career. “A lot of people ask me why I coach the women’s game,” Mays said. “I didn’t find the women’s game. The women’s game found me. I take what life brings to me in order to continue fulfilling and living the dream.”
—-Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]