Rookie Watch: Jerryd Bayless

Jerryd Bayless, a standout from the University of Virginia, was drafted 11th overall by the Indiana Pacers and was then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. It seems like the Blazers made a good decision with that acquisition.

Jerryd Bayless, after three games, averaged a stellar 27.3 points, 5.3 boards, and 1.3 assists per game. He finished the Summer League with 29.8 points per game. He also scored 36 points in one game and made a game-winning shot in another. He has absurd athleticism and a lightning-quick first step. He has shown that he has potential to be a solid force in the NBA. To top off his incredible performance, Bayless was awarded the T-Mobile NBA Summer League Top Rookie.

Although Bayless has impressed a lot of people in his Summer League performance, the Blazers are still wondering if Bayless could play the Point Guard position. This position is what the Blazers were looking for when they traded for him. Bayless had a 1:3 assist to turnover ratio. This is opposite to the expected 3:1 ratio for point guards.

Bayless claims that there is nothing to worry about. He says that he is also capable of playing the point guard position with ease. The transition of being a scorer to an orchestrator would not be a problem.

Jerryd Bayless is someone to watch out for this upcoming season. Is he as good as rookies Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley? Or will he be better?