Jerryd Bayless

Jerryd Bayless is a point guard for the Portland Trailblazers of the National Basketball Association. Jerryd was born in Phoenix, Arizona on August 20, 1988. As a collegiate, Bayless averaged 20 points a game in leading the Arizona Wildcats to an 19-13 record and a NCAA tournament bid. Arizona lost to West Virginia in the first round of the 2008 tournament. Bayless scored over 20 points sixteen times, and over 30 on four occasions. Exploded for career-high 39 points on 12-for-18 shooting, including 6-for-10 from three-point range vs. Arizona State. http://www.nba.com/draft2008/profiles/JerrydBayless.html

After one season as a Wildcat, Bayless decided to go pro. In the 2008 NBA draft, he was selected number 11 by the Indiana Pacers, but later traded to Portland. At the summer league, Bayless dominated the competition, averaging 30 points a game in winning most valuable player honors. Jerryd was selected as the 13th player to the USA select team, where he saw little playing time, but steadied his game in practices. The team's starters included Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose. Portland already had two point guards in front of him, and he was unable to see much playing time due to this.

The 2009- 2010 season has been just the opposite. Even when Portland still had Steve Blake, and Andre Miller, Bayless began seeing playing time. Once Blake got traded, Bayless jumped into the backup point guard spot. He scored a career high in points versus the San Antonio Spurs of 31 points on December 23. Few days before this, Bayless dropped 29 points on his hometown Phoenix Suns in 29 minutes. He is averaging nine points a game, and four assists on the season, and has started 31 games for the team.