Playing for the Italian national team over the summer, Hackett impressed enough to be contending for the final spot on a team that includes two NBA players -- Andrea Bargnani of the Toronto Raptors and Marco Belinelli of the Golden State Warriors.

Of his experience in Italy, Hackett said: ``I showed them I can play at that level. I've learned to take care of the ball better. I think I've improved my feet quickness. I'm quicker with the ball, can handle it better and shoot better. Playing at a pro level all summer obviously helps boost your confidence.''

He talked about the team practicing twice a day in preparation for the Mexico trip: ``It's rough but I know it will help us in the long run. That's why we really appreciate this time. We'll learn plays, learn defense and learn to take care of the ball so that when the season comes we should be ready.''

Mayo gave a cryptic answer when asked about the possibility of staying at USC more than one year.

``Right now, I plan on staying more than one year unless my situation changes and I have the opportunity to make a living for my family,'' Mayo said.

Uh, I'd say the chance of him having that opportunity is pretty good since he enters the season projected as a lottery pick in the 2008 NBA draft, if not one of the top three selections.

``I'm working hard but I could maybe not have a good year. You never know. I can get hurt, have an Achilles' heel injury, knee, anything.

``If (NBA) coaches call coach Floyd and I have the opportunity to get picked, maybe a lottery pick, and take care of my family, I'll certainly have to look at that but right now, education-wise, I plan on coming back next year.''

Mayo said he wants to study business management and learn about investing in real estate.

``A friend who goes to SC said in Brentwood it's $2,100 (a month) for an apartment,'' Mayo said. ``If there's 700 rooms at $2,100, that's a lot of money. So hopefully I can pursue a career in that and make some more money to support my family.''

Mayo spent many summer days at UCLA working out with NBA players such as Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Sam Cassell and Jalen Rose. He said Cassell took him under his wings.

``Cassell said, `You're a great player. You should do this, this and this and it will make you that much better,' '' Mayo said. ``That excited me a lot that he had watched me before. He told me how to work on the pick-and-roll when defending it.''

Mayo said he came out to Los Angeles on his own, packing 10 outfits like he was going on a business trip. He calls his mother back in Huntington, W. Va., four to five times a week to let her know he is OK, but says the more he calls the more he gets homesick.

``There's a lot of bad activities going on back home now, a lot of people getting shot, so she's like, `I never thought I'd be so happy to have you 3,000 miles away,' '' Mayo said. ``The only thing she's worried about is she always heard USC was in South Central, in a bad neighborhood. From the outside looking in, maybe it seems like a bad area, but you have campus police and they do a great job of patrolling the university. Everyone looks out for you at this university and makes sure nothing happens to you while on campus.''

Mayo said he hopes to get his mother out to games once or twice a month, even if he has to dip into his monthly stipend to get her a plane ticket. He said she works nine hours a day, six days a week as a nursing assistant. He said family and friends are already trying to raise money to charter two buses to New York for when the Trojans play Memphis at Madison Square Garden in December.

``We came in last year as freshmen, kind of small and not really muscular,'' Lewis said. ``But now we're growing and can't really get pushed around anymore.''

Floyd said the improved strength of the returning players is what stood out in the first days of practice.

``Anyone who's lifted will tell you that it helps in terms of ability to finish (around the basket), ability to hold their ground in the post and stamina,'' Floyd said.

``Believe it or not, I was in the locker room just hollering and running around before hand,'' Simmons said. ``It was exciting for me. I got out there and it made me feel good, like I'm part of something.''

Simmons perhaps didn't see the midseason Tim Floyd.

``When we met in his office, he said he'd be hard on me,'' Simmons said. ``But I thought he was pretty soft today and I'm happy with that.''

``They are guys I value,'' Floyd said. ``I wanted them to observe and help me in any way they can.''

Floyd added that the guest coaches would probably be out at practice all week.

``I went out there because of my love for Paulette (Francis, Ryan's mother),'' Floyd said. ``I felt it was important for our university to be represented at the trial. I just wanted to give any level of comfort for what I knew would be a trying time for her.''

Floyd said all the players are aware of the conviction, at that it helps bring some closure to the team.

``I'm very happy for Paulette because I didn't want her to have to live with the idea of Ryan's killer being on the streets in the same town she was in on a daily basis,'' Floyd said.

Mayo didn't have much time to talk after his first practice because he had to do a photo shoot for USA Today along with Taj Gibson, then run to eat before a 6:30 p.m. class. USC is holding a press conference tomorrow afternoon in which he will talk more.

Coach Tim Floyd said the structure of the practice -- halfcourt offensive drills -- didn't allow for Mayo to make any of the spectacular plays that made him the top basketball recruit in the nation.

``It was nice to see all our freshmen and they were all just listening,'' Floyd said. ``The other guys have been practicing five days, so they had a chance to observe and then go out and repeat what (the returning players) were doing. I haven't had the chance to really even watch them go up and down the floor other than a little street ball to start the practice.''

Keith Wilkinson said that Mayo wasn't just sitting back and listening in his first practice.

``You can tell he's a leader and a winner even though we weren't doing much,'' Wilkinson said. ``He's really vocal out there, encouraging guys and telling them where to go and what to do.''