NBA Q&A: Jerryd Bayless

Courtesy of Gary Dzen

Question: You went to Arizona. Who you got in the NCAA Tournament now that we know the Sweet 16?

Hopefully Arizona does it. I have a lot of ties with that program. It’s great seeing them do well, so hoping they do.

There’s been a lot of talk this weekend about the top prospects for the NBA Draft not performing well in the NCAA Tournament. What’s the biggest difference between playing in college and the NBA?

Just the realization that it’s not the same anymore. You’re jumping into a business. Everybody thinks its going to be the same as college or high school, but you have to treat it like a business.

How did you handle the adjustment?

Just continue to work. You can kind of get lackadaisical, playing so many games. I learned to take at least 30 minutes every day to work on some part of my game

Are there team situations that are better for a young player?

Oh for sure. Being a young player and going into a team full of veterans, that’s going to be tough. Being with other young players is a little easier.

What advice would you give guys like Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker? Would they benefit from another year in college?

I think they can learn just as well in the NBA. I’m pretty sure they’ll end of leaving and pursuing their NBA careers. They’re going to be successful. They’re going to be great players.

You’ve become the team model of sorts for the new sleeved jerseys. How do you feel about the sleeved jerseys?

I dont mind them at all. They’re actually pretty cool. There’s no problem on my end.

This has been a tough season for the Celtics in terms of wins and losses. What’s the hardest part about being on a losing team?

I don’t think it’s hard. It’s frustrating, but I don’t think it’s hard. The coaching staff and organization do a great job of keeping us focused.

I heard you praise coach Stevens in a radio interview earlier. When did you first know he knew his stuff?

You can see that pretty quickly. There’s things he talks about on other teams, on individual players and their tendencies, on what they’re capable of. He does an amazing job of preparation.

Would you like to return to the Celtics next season?

I would be happy about that. That would be great. One of the things I said when I got here is I want to find a home somewhere. I’d be very happy staying here.