A Potential Star

We have reached the mid-way point of the NHL and NBA seasons and once again and the all-star games of both leagues are just around the corner.This game is a showcase for the immense talents that both leagues have and it gives sports fans in Toronto another chance to wallow.

The teams in Toronto - Leafs and Raptors are both struggling this season and neither squad boasts talent that gives the fan base hopes. The Leafs have one all-star, Phil Kessel, but only because they have to. The other players that were supposed to be all-stars have fallen well short and this will leave the Leafs on the outside looking in April again this season.

The Raptors are in a similar situation. They lost their all-star in free agency and currently none of the 20 players that have seen time for the Raps this season could crack the top 12 of an all-star roster. Unlike the Leafs, there may be some hope for the Raptors. Andrea Bargnani has developed into a scorer who can hit the big shots, but unfortunately he can't play any defense. This holds him back from cracking the top echelon. If he did play a lick of defense and rebounding just a bit, there is no way he could be held off the all-star team. He would be a younger KG. Demar DeRozan should have a place in the all-star game - dunk contest. As DeRozan matures he might have a chance to crack an all-star line-up, but right now the position is just too loaded, he is making the leap. One other unlikely all-star candidate for the Raptors in the years to come might surprise you - Jarryd Bayless.

One reason we might have to start paying attention to Bayless is because of Kevin Love. The Timberwolves rebounding machine was on the Bill Simmons Podcast this week and was asked about players from his generation that could still make the jump into the NBA elite. He only had one answer - Jarryd Bayless. What made Kevin Love think of Bayless? He talked about other players from that 2008 draft class like himself, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Michael Beasley and Russel Westbrook who he has played against and with since he was 15. He mentioned that all these players, and he lumped Bayless in with them, have an intense desire to be great and to leave a legacy when they leave the NBA.

Now I understand that just because a player has a desire to be great doesn't mean that he will be. But, as Love mentioned, he hasn't been wrong too many times when he has evaluated talent. He picked out Westbrook and Griffin at the age of 15. So besides effort and finally a chance to play what does Bayless have going for him.

Bayless plays fast and hard, gets to the rim, can definitely run the team and he has the right attitude to be a team leader and an all-star. Here's hoping that Kevin Love's prediction comes true.