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More Vols in Pros

• Hochevar (rib contusion) on DL
• Trainer says Helton healing
• No guarantee Manning plays in season opener

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OAKLAND, Calif. — uring his four years at the University of Tennessee, C.J. Watson was known as a pass-first point guard.

Whether it was playing under former coach Buzz Peterson’s slowdown, halfcourt offense or current coach Bruce Pearl’s run-at-all-times system, Watson led the Vols offense to near perfection, which is why he finished his career second at Tennessee in assists with 577.

But that didn’t get him noticed by NBA scouts, which is why he went undrafted last season.

After playing in Greece and Italy last year, Watson realized he had to change his game.

“Being kind of passive doesn’t really work anymore,’’ Watson said. ‘‘They want you to score and do it all, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.’’

Watson worked tirelessly on his jump shot.

The results: He averaged 26.4 points in 16 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, which was third in the league.

His newfound ability to score (shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 40 percent from 3-point range), to go along with his 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.38 steals, is what got him noticed by the Golden State Warriors.

Watson was signed to a 10-day contract this week, making his NBA debut Wednesday at Portland, where he played 30 minutes, scoring 11 points and picking up four assists.

“It was fun,’’ Watson said. ‘‘I didn’t think I’d get 30 minutes, but I’m happy that I got in and I’m trying to get my feet wet and get used to things and how they system goes.’’

So far, he has made a good impression on Warriors coach Don Nelson.

“I like him,’’ Nelson said. ‘‘I’ve only been with him three days, but he seems like a really nice pickup to me. ... I’m not afraid to play him from what I’ve seen in practice. I think the team has a lot of respect for him. He’s a good player.

“He is mentally probably more of a point guard. We’ve flooded him. Obviously, we have to flood him. If you’re a point guard, you can’t just do one set. But he’s dealt with all that. He has a pretty good understanding. Occasionally, we’ll have to tell him where to go, or what we’re looking for.’’

Watson scored six points in 15 minutes in Friday’s win against Memphis.

The Warriors have been in desperate need of a backup point guard for Baron Davis, especially after Troy Hudson underwent season-ending hip surgery on Thursday. Nelson is hoping Watson will be the kind of find Kelenna Azubuike was last season when he was called up from the D-League. The former Kentucky star is now the team’s starting two-guard, averaging 10.5 points a game.

“That’s a big inspiration for me,’’ Watson said. ‘‘There’s always hope. He came in and did well and got the opportunity, and he’s doing well now, starting and making the best out of it. I’m just trying to do the same thing, get noticed and hopefully stay in this league a long time.’’

Watson said it hasn’t been hard picking up the Warriors’ system, one that doesn’t run a whole a lot of set plays.

He added that his new teammates have quickly embraced him and shown him around town.

And that has come in handy thanks to Davis, who has wasted no time making Watson his errand boy — Watson has to pick up some green tea for Davis before every practice.