Other articles by Bruce Pascoe:

McClellan's outlook goes from awful to 'awe' full No change in Jennings' UA status Bayless has familiar faces in his corner UA, Jennings expect to wait week for test score76ers offer UA's McClellan summer-league roster spot LOWS AND HIGHS Jennings' status remains unclear; no score yet Arizona Wildcats basketball: Bayless traded to PortlandArizona Wildcats basketball: Jennings score not coming today No couch potato tonight

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That freshman guard Jerryd Bayless was named team MVP at the Wildcats' postseason awards banquet Monday was hardly a surprise.

That one of his biggest fans turns out to be a teammate might be.

During the Wildcats' postseason honors banquet Monday, players continued their tradition of awarding gag gifts to road roommates and Kirk Walters hammered freshman Zane Johnson for allegedly idolizing Bayless.

Walters said he used Photoshop to superimpose a mug shot of a smiling Bayless over a red heart, then framed the photo and handed it to Johnson, who played summer ball with Bayless in Phoenix in high school.

"Wherever Jerryd goes, Zane goes," Walters said. "Zane's daddy is Jerryd."

According to sophomore Chase Budinger, Bayless has another major fan on the team: himself.

Tired of seeing Bayless hog bathroom time for admiration purposes, Budinger presented Bayless with a handheld mirror. "So he doesn't have to go to the bathroom and look at himself," Budinger said.

Apparently not realizing the edginess of the gifts, Bayless went the upbeat route. He bought Budinger a Bob Marley CD that the two began playing during one of the several rough spots of the season: When UA played at California in January, after Bayless had a rough game in a loss to Stanford.

As it turned out, Bayless hit the evening's theme exactly. UA interim head coach Kevin O'Neill heaped praise on his team.

"This team has accomplished a lot more than people think and they will accomplish a lot more than people think," O'Neill said. "I can assure you of that."

Wing Jawann McClellan, instead of cracking his usual jokes, also went the serious route. He thanked God, academic adviser Lisa Napoleon, his teammates, the UA assistant coaches and O'Neill.

"He's been put in an awkward situation," McClellan said of O'Neill. "He's done a hell of job coaching this team. You all need to stand up and give this man one more standing ovation."

In other team honors awarded Monday, sophomore guard Nic Wise won the most improved player award, while McClellan and Jordan Hill were named co-defensive players of the year.

Budinger received the Golden A for representing the team well. McClellan, Daniel Dillon and Bret Brielmaier were named co-outstanding seniors while McClellan also won the captain's award. Walk-on David Bagga was named most inspirational.