Post by hammi on Jul 27, 2005 12:06:24 GMT -5
Drafted 10th Overall in this year's draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Andrew Bynum had one thing to say when asked how he felt. "Let's dewit!". He's a 17 year old in a monster body, more athletic than most big men in the game today, but he has no experience. He played 8 Summer League Games for the Lakers, finishing with a 5-3 record. Bynum averaged 15 points, and 8 rebounds in those 8 games, as Phil Jackson and Lakers GM Hamadani closed curtains on a happy note. "His first year isn't that very important, he still has a lot to learn about the game, the fundamentals, the tricks down low, and just have a mature mindset" said coach Phil Jackson. It's evident that he still has at least 3 more inches to grow, making him a possible 7'3" kid in the paint. "We're going to be very patient with him, we know that he won't be dominating the paint in his rookie season, so I think his first year will be more about developing his game and experience and not trying to prove people wrong." commented GM Hamadani.
When Shaquille O'neal left LA for Miami, the Lakers had struggled severely in the paint without a big body. Chris MIhm did all that he could, but the Lakers obviously were hungry for the next big man. Andrew Bynum hopes to fill that hole in the near future. "I don't care if Shaq was before me, I don't even care what he did. All Im concerned about is my game and what I can do for this organization, nothing else. If you think that I suck after 1 bad game, that's great. Everyone has opinions, so here's mine...The Lakers are going uphill from now on".
Reporter: Kobe, have you and Bynum worked out together since he was drafted?
Kobe: Yeah, he's a great kid. He remainds me of myself a little when I first started out. He's a locker room clown but is determined to succeed in the league. I respect those qualities in any player. He's just 17 so he has a lot of room and time to get where he wants to be.
Reporter: What has surprised you about his game so far?
Kobe: He isn't affraid to learn different aspects of the game. Usually, a player likes to focus on one aspect, and perfect it. But he's very ambitious and always does what coach P tells him to do. I can tell this guy likes challenges.
Reporter: How does he compare to Shaq?
Kobe: He doesn't. They're two very different type of players. Shaq was more of a power-center, using his size to go through defenders. Bynum on the other hand uses his talent more than his body. He thinks like a guard, but doesn't play like one. That's what's great about him. Give him a couple of years and he'll even add the body-power to his game. Imagine a smarter Shaq, that's him in about 3 years.
So we're weeks away from the UBL tipoff, is Bynum ready? Inside sources confirm that he will start at the center position, but Phil Jackson hasn't mentioned anything about that. Chris Mihm will obviously fight for his starting job, but nothing is guaranteed in Laker Land. One big concern that is revolving around LA is their PG spot. They don't have one. GM Hamadani has said that he'll look deep into the Free Agency List, and possibly pick up some talent there. He's also very active in trades rumors to aquire a young talented PG. Lamar Odom and Chris Mihm are on the Lakers trade block, and they've received some offers but none that Hamadani likes. There's a good chance that Kobe will have to play the 1 spot, and have Von Wafer and Devean George share minutes at the 2. Nothing's official yet, but we'll see what tricks Hamadani can pull out of his hat.
