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Parker High School and Ramsay High School played on Nov. 18, 2008. It was the first game of Eric Bledsoe's senior season in high school.

Two years to the day later, Bledsoe stands a few feet from the baseline at Conseco Field House in Indianapolis. In a half hour he'll hear his name called as the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers in their midweek road game against the Indiana Pacers.

Things aren't supposed to move this fast. A six foot guard who was thought of as "the other point guard" when he got to Kentucky a year ago isn't supposed to bolt for the NBA after one season. The 18th pick in the draft isn't supposed to play so well that he makes an ex-All Star team mate who plays the same position suddenly look expendable.

"I didn't think it was going to happen this early but I was hearing that in the league that it changes quick. I've heard it changes quick but I never thought it would change this quick," Bledsoe said.

He is as relaxed as he's ever looked. Despite the Clippers 1-11 record (that in a few hours will be 1-12), Bledsoe's having the time of his life playing in the NBA.

He's free of any stress from the investigation in to his high school grades, though he says he never paid that much attention to the controversy.

"It was just talk.... I was just focusing on me and my career. I mean what happens, happens. They were just trying to find a big deal out of nothing," he said.

Baron Davis was supposed to be the starting point guard and face of the Clippers. But an injured knee (and the questions about his commitment and level of conditioning that have come with it) opened the door for Bledsoe to take over the spot.

The thrill of taking the reigns and playing big time minutes is not something he just shruggs off. Bledsoe admits that the first time he went up against Utah's Deron Williams and New Orleans' Chris Paul - All-Stars he played in back-to-back games earlier in the month - he was star struck.

Two of the best point guards in the league," he said. "Just to go up against them it's just a great feeling."

He's averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists a game, stats that are rising as his minutes continue to grow. Not bad for a guy who never imagined during his days at Parker - much less Kentucky - that a month before he turns 21, this would be his life.

"I never thought about getting drafted in the first round actually, but it happened," Bledsoe said.

"I've just been playing hard my whole life so it paid off."