LAS VEGAS — O.J. Mayo's professional debut featured 15 points, five assists and three steals yesterday in the Memphis Grizzlies' 88-75 win over the New Orleans Hornets at the NBA Summer League.

Mayo, a former USC freshman guard who was chosen No. 3 in the draft, scored only two points in the first quarter and finished with eight turnovers overall. He made his presence felt quickly, as his steal and assist on Darrell Arthur's layup with 8:37 left in the period preceded his first basket. He scored on a layup with 7:06 left in the quarter.

Mayo bounced back in the second with 10 points and two turnovers. His six consecutive points early in the frame helped the Grizzlies to stretch a two-point lead into a 23-15 advantage. The loudest applause of the first half came when he was fouled during a dunk with 23 seconds left.

"I really love the game and I love to compete," Mayo said. "For me, it's a dream come true to play in the NBA. It's my opportunity. I wanted to leave everything on the floor every time."

Mayo, the highest-drafted player this year participating in the NBA Summer League, had 12 points, two steals and two assists at halftime. He also led with five turnovers and three fouls during the first 20 minutes.

In the second half, Mayo cut his turnovers from five to three and made his lone 3-pointer.

"I was very impressed that he's confident," Grizzlies summer league coach Marc Iavaroni said. "The technical aspects, the strategy, those will all come. But seeing how he approaches the game is very refreshing."

Mayo was one of four first-round selections from the last two drafts playing for the Grizzlies. Arthur was taken 27th this year; Mike Conley was chosen with the fourth pick last year when Javaris Crittenton went No. 19.

TIMBERWOLVES

LOVE SIGNS $5.4M MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT

The Minnesota Timberwolves signed first-round draft pick Kevin Love yesterday.

The UCLA power forward signed the contract just in time to participate on Minnesota's Las Vegas summer league team.

It was merely a formality thanks to the NBA's rookie salary scale. Love was the fifth overall pick in last month's draft and acquired from Memphis in an eight-player trade that sent O.J. Mayo to the Grizzlies.

He will make about $2.6 million this season and $2.8 million next year. The Timberwolves have options for his third and fourth seasons.

Love will join teammates including Corey Brewer, Chris Richard and Rodney Carney in Vegas. Craig Smith was scheduled to attend, but will not participate because the restricted free agent has not agreed to a new contract.

ELSEWHERE

Mavericks: Dallas re-signed former Texas A&M standout guard Antoine Wright yesterday and also signed guard Keith McLeod and forward James Singleton. Terms of the deals weren't released. McLeod and Singleton have played in the NBA, but most recently played in Europe.

Nets: New Jersey reached agreements with free agent forwards Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes yesterday. The 6-foot-8 Najera, an eight-year NBA veteran, averaged 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 78 games last season for Denver. Hayes, also 6-8, played in 82 games for Detroit last season and averaged 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds.

Raptors: Toronto signed Nathan Jawai, the first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team, to a two-year contract yesterday. Terms were not disclosed. The six-foot-10, 280-pounder earned rookie of the year honors last season in Australia's National Basketball League, where he averaged 17.7 points and 9.6 rebounds in 30 games for the Cairns Taipans.