Bayless planning visit with Cats
By Bruce Pascoe
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.16.2006
Despite the speculation swirling around him, heralded UA basketball recruit Jerryd Bayless is planning to show up but not play in this weekend's Cactus Classic at McKale Center.
Whether that is a good sign for the Wildcats remains to be seen.
Ever since word spread two weeks ago that he might be wavering on his November verbal commitment to the Wildcats, Bayless has faced questions among fans, players and media about where he stands.
"He's got so much pressure on him right now," Justin Bayless, Jerryd's older brother, said Monday night. "We went to the gym today, and we couldn't even shoot because people were bothering him. I haven't seen him like that before."
Bayless will travel separately from his Arizona Magic AAU team and will not play in the three-day tournament because of a tender ankle, his brother said. But the fact that he is willing to stand up to the speculation in Tucson could indicate a strong intent to sign a binding letter of intent to Arizona in November.
Still, Justin Bayless did not want to go quite that far.
"I would say this," Justin Bayless said, "There's a bunch of pressure on him, and he's got to make sure he's doing the best thing for Jerryd."
Arizona Magic coach Anthony Ray offered a similar viewpoint.
"As of right now, he's still committed but it's for him and his family to decide," Ray said. "He just wants to make sure he makes the right decisions. That's all it really is."
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