Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless, who led the Wildcats in scoring and made several All-American teams, will declare for the NBA Draft. The likely high-lottery pick has hired an agent and will therefore lose his remaining three years of eligibility. Bayless leaves Tucson without having played for Lute Olson, the coach who recruited him to Point Guard U.This isn't too much of a surprise for anyone who watched Bayless this season. He's able to get into the paint at will, has one of the best pull-up jumpers in the nation, and has the skills to excel at point guard at the next level. Both DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.net have him as a Top 5 pick, and it's hard to believe that his workouts would drop him much lower than that.
The Wildcats will obviously miss Bayless's presence in Tucson, but the arrival of freshman point guard (and flat-top enthusiast) Brandon Jennings should offset some of the damage. The real issue here will come if Bayless's decision opens the floodgates in Arizona. Both Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill would go in the first round of the draft, so it's possible that they would declare before the deadline. Those three players carried Arizona this season and would be sorely missed. If Budinger and Hill return, then the Wildcats should be one of the best teams in the Pac-10 next year.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Guys like Bayless, Mayo, Beasley,Gordon were already factored in as one and done baring any major injury now Coaches have to sweat out the extended process of others "stars" who quite honestly might be ready for the nextlevel and those others who think they're ready but are not...e.g. Derrick Character.
Posted at 10:47AM on Apr 6th 2008 by Eric
2. The real travesty here is another kid who was given the gift of great talent will squander the unique chance to use that gift to better himself and protect his future with a degree. If Bayless gets injured tomorrow and can't play basketball he will just become another college dropuot who will have only the "I was once great" has-been, but never really was, attitude to rely on to struggle through the rest of his life. The implications to the Arizona team are but a pitance compared to the enormous fallibility of the NBA and its almost criminal allowance to Bayless and all others it allows to forego the incredible gift of a free education.
Posted at 1:52PM on Apr 6th 2008 by Phil
3. It seems like Lute Olson, a Hall Of Fame coach, is loosing it! His comments about ASU not deserving to make into the NCAA tourney, the testiness he demonstrates in answering questions, and the hedging with the truth about why he took off a year from his job....WITH PAY....are not positives for the U of Az program...I would not be surprised if others beside Bayliss decided to not return. It is too bad. He should have retired on a positive note when he could....mo
Posted at 2:53PM on Apr 6th 2008 by mo russell
4. Bayless should remain @ Arizona for 3 years. Unlike, Beasley and O.J., they are ready right now.
Posted at 4:09PM on Apr 6th 2008 by kevin wilson
5. Bayless might look good in the PAC 10 but I saw two or three guards the last two weeks that would go before Bayless. He had better hope they do not declare.
Posted at 7:04PM on Apr 6th 2008 by Jim
6. Miles Simon redux? I hope not, but probably, and without the unlikely championship. I would bet money that he's the Clippers' replacement for Livingston.
Posted at 8:19PM on Apr 7th 2008 by gastronaut
7. In response to comment #2... I would love to see Bayless stay another year, BUT, you can't blame these kids. It's not a "travesty" and he's not "squandering a unique chance"...with the money he will be GUARANTEED as a lottery pick in the NBA Draft he can probably pay for at least 100 separate 4 year college educations. How many kids can you send to college with 10 million dollars (probably a very low estimate on what he will be GUARANTEED!)? 20 million?
Posted at 2:31AM on Apr 8th 2008 by L8kersFan