"The thing that I like about him is that he has an engine inside of him and he wants to do well, he wants to dominate. He added "my time is done there" and that the location of where he plays isn't as important to him as him being healthy enough to allow him to play. [66] In his first game of the season after serving his suspension, Bynum scored 29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 9289 victory over the Denver Nuggets. The former All-Star was a critical piece in LAs frontcourt, averaging 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds while serving as a vital rim protector. He offered a simple response when asked about his reactions to news of Bynums injury. Andrew Bynum could've been greater Though the Dallas Mavericks swept the Lakers in the following round, it was a pretty good postseason performance for Bynum. He was picked up by the Indiana Pacers but played just two games as a backup to Roy Hibbert before yet another knee injury ended his season and, ultimately, his career at just 26 years of age. Both Bynum and O'Neal received technical fouls for the incident. [54] He returned to the lineup for the start of the playoffs. He shared success with his fellow prep-to-pros product, making three NBA Finals, winning two championships and even both being named All-Stars last season. Bynum was injured upon liberty and never played a minute for Philadelphia. He hasn't missed a game all season after undergoing back surgery in the offseason. He was benched for it. [40], Bynum missed the next 32 games. Teammate Kobe Bryant quickly stepped in between the two. He played the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bynum returned for the 2008-2009 season with a new four-year, $58 million contract, but another knee injury limited him to 50 games. The Los Angeles Lakers traded away Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia 76ers, saying goodbye to the center that they molded into one of the best in the NBA. It has publicly tested his relationship with Pau Gasol, as Bryant said of Gasol last season, "Very white swan. Bynum went from the player who made Kobe Bryant want to leave the Lakers in the summer 2007 to the reason he wanted to stay. Kobe wouldn't be in a better place. Bynum wouldn't be in a better place. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Void in ONT. As of early 2020, Andrew Bynum's net worth is estimated at $45 million, while he earned over $70 million in total during his career in the NBA. [81][82][83], In a 10388 win against the Nuggets in the opening game of the playoffs, Bynum had a triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. [9] He originally planned to attend the University of Connecticut on a basketball scholarship; however, the 17-year-old made the decision to go directly into the NBA and made himself eligible for the 2005 NBA draft,[10] where he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers. [89][90], About a week before training camp, Bynum underwent Orthokine treatments on both of his knees to stimulate healing for his arthritis. Bynum put it all on the line, and his contributions helped Kobe Bryant and the Lakers get across the finish line en route to back-to-back titles. Bryant, who said he met with Bynum for 3-4 minutes after he put up 34 points in the Lakers' 111-98 win over the Sixers, was not offended by his former teammate's remarks. As for those 22 rebounds, just one off his career high of 23. If Bynum has lost his passion for basketball, it's a byproduct of a body that never gave him a fair chance and a system that commodified it at too young an age. And Bynum began to crumble, especially when the Lakers' clock hit midnight and they got swept out of the playoffs by the Mavericks. He rebuilt and enhanced everything from cars to computers to phones. 1, and No. After a while, it started to feel like a taunt. He was spotted rolling up to Staples Center on Christmas in a new, black Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, which has a sticker price of $387,000. [94] Since training camp, Bynum had been firm that he would make his debut for Philadelphia, and had targeted the All-Star break for his return. It's weird because the Lakers are so typically a team above fate of the trying sort. Beans willingness to gut it out during those Finals set the tone for the remainder of his career. "I think he was testing the l The player once dubbed Baby Shaq got off to a memorable start in his NBA career, being chastised by Kobe Bryant before he ever took the floor and shortly thereafter establishing himself as perhaps the most promising young center in basketball. But nothing has ever gotten very serious. [96][97], On March 1, with swelling in his right knee, he conceded he might not play by the end of the season, although he said his left knee was fine. Its a side Gasol has taken before when it comes to accepting the not-so-young Kobe still pushing not-so-clear limits. Bynum played 35 games and started in 25 games during the season. He had his first knee surgery when he was 12 years old, and has had problems ever since. Brother Aaron Anthony Bynum age 46, of Coshocton, Ohio passed away on December 17, 2020 at his residence. [101] On November 30, Bynum set season highs of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a 9793 victory over the Chicago Bulls. It wasn't as if Bynum was never criticized -- he was, often -- but he was never the problem, the focal point, the scapegoat. In this very same Golden State arena on Dec. 6, 2000 the season after his and ONeals first NBA championship, when a 22-year-old Bryant came back looking to expand his game, much to ONeals disbelief Bryant pushed his individual offense to the point that he scored 51 points on 51percent shooting. It infamously sabotaged his relationship with Shaquille O'Neal, because Bryant never felt like Shaq matched his dedication to the sport and therefore didn't deserve the ball as much as he did. It's likely neither will matter one bit when the playoffs begin in April. [102] However, he also struggled at times, shooting 011 from the field with no points in 22 minutes in a loss to Detroit. Bynum, who missed the entire 2012-13 season with a knee injury after being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, signed a partially-guaranteed, one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers the following summer. Bryant didnt draw any comparison between those shots and Bynum needing to try 3-pointers, but it was implied from something else Bryant said about Bynums game. Bynum struggled his rookie season, appearing in just 46 games, averaging 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in a little more than seven minutes per night. There teams REALLY helped themselves over the weekend and could surprise. But by the end of his time in L.A., Bynum felt that Bryant's ball-dominant ways hurt his development as one of the league's best centers. During Brown's interview for the position, Lakers executive Jim Buss said Bynum needed to receive the ball inside, and Brown planned for Bynum to get the ball "more than what he did in the past." From ages 18-24, Bynum's year-to-year improvements were remarkable. Bynum was already broken when the trade happened, and 2012-13 would have been even worse than it was with Howard. The demos of the NBA Live reboot were plagued with many issues and when videos of the Laker center freezing at . OAKLAND - I asked Kobe Bryant what he thought about Andrew Bynum launching that 3-pointer that got him benched by Lakers coach Mike Brown on Tuesday night. He was benched by Mike Brown after waking up one day and deciding that he wanted to shoot threes. [84] After the Lakers led the series 31, Bynum said, "Close-out games are actually kind of easy. . The first part of that, and all the work that went into it, is what gets lost when people talk about Bynum's passion for the game. NBA Power Rankings: Can the Warriors join the league's elite? Bynum has an MRI scheduled for Thursday in New York City to examine both of his knees. Indeed, he chose to put off surgery until after the season. Bynum was born in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. Bryant defends Bynum in the press, even going so far as to create a rationale for the big man's ill-timed three-point shooting. It was the case when he missed all of last season in Philadelphia, a year in which his last reported injury was sustained while bowling. It's kind of ridiculous. Kobe Bean Bryant (/ k o b i / KOH-bee; August 23, 1978 - January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. I dont know what was bench-worthy about the shot, to be honest with you, Bynum said. "Actually I'm feeling better and the pain is down in both knees, which is good," Bynum said. Now, 33 years old and in his 16th season, he is gauging the 24-year-old Andrew Bynum's preparedness to be that same torchbearer for excellence as the center embarks on the seventh season of a . That setback came after Bryant sustained a torn ligament and separate avulsion fracture during the 2007-08 season. He reportedly was constantly disrespectful to his teammates and the coaching staff, and his desire to play the game came into question, which is something that certainly doesnt sit well when Kobe Bryant is on your team. [54], On March 8, Bynum had his third straight game with at least 16 rebounds and had 50 rebounds and 12 blocks in that span. But that's hardly a bad thing. Kobe would still have suffered a horrid injury, come back in 2013, signed a giant extension and gotten injured again. The Lakers got Dwight Howard in return,. He never liked it that much in first place. Kentucky's Julius Randle is seen as one of the top prospects in the loaded 2014 draft, but one key measurable throws a lot of doubt on whether his game will translate from college to the pros. But he wasnt angry after the game, remaining cheerful not unlike how young Kobe often was in learning to make peace with others not understanding he simply had to push those limits to be true to himself. A Lakers team without Bynum certainly could have been more vulnerable. The Basketball Gods, though, or whatever governs basketball (il)logic, had other ideas. [25][26] [22] During the season, the New Jersey Nets were interested in acquiring Bynum for Jason Kidd. Andrew Bynum suffered a small tear of the meniscus in his right knee during the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). [67], On January 3 against the Houston Rockets, Bynum had 21 points and 22 rebounds in the first 2020 game of his career. The Nets were extremely interested in sending Jason Kidd to LA, a trade that obviously never happened. At one point, O'Neal dunked over Bynum on a putback attempt. Bynum ended the season tied with Oklahoma City All-Star guard Russell Westbrook at 10th overall in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) with a PER of 23.00. The only pot shot Bryant took was over Bynum's combed-down afro coif, saying, "I don't know what he's doing with that perm, but I guess he's a trendsetter.". Perhaps most notably, Bryant had a plethora of issues with dislocated fingers. That passion was robbed from him; it's not like it never existed. He sprained an ankle during Game 2 of the 2000 NBA Finals and missed Game 3, which the Indiana Pacers won to claw back into the series. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), LeBron James, Lakers primed and ready to face Steph Curry, Warriors, Swanson: Lakers Rob Pelinka defied critics and built a contender, Angels still searching for right bullpen mix, Alexander: Lakers-Warriors should be a classic series, Status Update: Dutch Bros. drive-through coffee shop plots first OC locations, Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (April 20-27), More land sliding at Casa Romantica; residents evacuated, trains halted through San Clemente, Orange County Artist of the Year winners announced, Fire at Barnes & Noble in Orange disrupts book-signing event, Then and Now: Photos of Casa Romantica show damage caused by landside, Dementia doubles in Orange County in less than a decade, Cold, drizzly week ahead for Southern California, Man who killed father on Laguna Niguel trail committed to mental-health hospital, OC Marine who volunteered in Ukraine, survived rocket attack: I would do it again, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. What Really Happened To Andrew Bynum? But people want to make a quick buck because Kobe hate is popular in some circles. NBA Basketball Professional sport Sports . Bynum would have been in the trainer's room (or the nearest bowling alley). They have a lot of youth, Bryant said about the Lakers coaches, whose experience with a too-passive LeBron James apparently is easy compared with handling a headstrong Kobe and a self-absorbed Shaq. A former Lakers player revealed that Jim Buss wanted to trade Kobe Bryant and make Andrew Bynum the leader of the team. [111] He appeared in only two games before Indiana declared him out indefinitely with swelling and soreness in his right knee;[112] he missed the remainder of the regular season. [99] Reportedly, the incentive-laden contract could pay him up to $24.79 million over two years. Bynum attended St. Joseph High School, in Metuchen, New Jersey during his junior and senior year. During the Lakers' run to the 2010 championship, Bynum played every one of the Lakers' 23 playoff games with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Everything went wrong for the Lakers when Kupchak broke up the Kobe-Bynum pair, and everything would still have gone wrong if he hadn't. Yes, yes and yes: The rest of the NBA should also be scared to death that Andrew Bynum is becoming more and more like Kobe Bryant. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. 1 for No. Without his bad knees, there's no doubt he would be. "Are you kidding me? By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. You dont see me sitting here trippin or sweatin or anything like that. "The update really is I'm feeling much better, I would say, than the initial state of injury," Bynum said, detailing how he has been able to add shooting drills to his rehab process. Andrew Bynum suffered a small tear of the meniscus in his right knee during the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Odds and lines subject to change. In 2006-2007, the only season he appeared in all 82 games, Bynum saw his minutes go up, and his averages obviously went up as a result to 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Heres our first projection of the 2024 NFL Draft class. Bynum, meanwhile, has yet to suit up for the Sixers but sounded optimistic about his health on Sunday. On January 13, 2008, he suffered an injury during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Obviously the coaching staff is not used to seeing Drew pull up at the top of the key and take a 3-pointer. That Bynum's attempt to resuscitate an injury-savaged career didn't pan out hardly registers as a shock. Shaq ripped a giant lasagna fart on the air and had to air out the studio, My 4 favorite team hauls from the 2023 NFL Draft, NFL mock draft 2024: Historic WR prospect, reigning Heisman QB lead next years class. Odds and lines subject to change. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls in January 2014 and immediately waived to clear salary-cap space. [95] After still not playing through the end of February, it was reported that Bynum's knees had begun to degenerate. [86], On June 4, 2012, the Lakers exercised their $16.1-million team option on Bynum's contract for the 201213 season. It's hard to blame him if his heart wasn't 100 percent in it. Void in ONT. [74][87] On August 10, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-team deal that also sent Dwight Howard from the Magic to the Lakers and Andre Iguodala from the 76ers to the Denver Nuggets. It was the case even before that as well, as ananonymous former teammate once said: "Ive never met another player in the league who likes basketball less [than Bynum]. Bryant and the Lakers were gunning for back-to-back championships during the 2009-10 season, but a late injury to young center Andrew Bynum threatened to derail their title hopes. For the remainder of his freshman year and his sophomore year he attended Solebury School in Solebury, PA.[6] He played in the 2005 McDonald's All-American game where he tallied 9 points and 5 rebounds. When Philadelphia sports fans were working themselves into a frenzy over Bynum sitting out the entirety of last season, he did it while sporting increasingly ridiculous haircuts. Pau Gasol, who has inherited the co-captain title from Derek Fisher, was more by the book in his reaction, siding with the coaches when it comes to playing the right way. The new coach believed Bynum could become an All-Star, and perennial All-Star center Yao Ming had retired and Tim Duncan's skills were declining. intricately detailed in Lee Jenkins' 2011 profile in Sports Illustrated, obviously disinterested Bynum jacking up wild shots at practice. [43][45], In the 2010 NBA playoffs, Bynum injured his knee in Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. Shaq ripped a giant lasagna fart on the air and had to air out the studio, The entire NFL screwed up by letting the Eagles win the draft so easily. As one league source told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! [64][65], Jackson retired from coaching after 201011, and Mike Brown was hired as his replacement. Those concerns were validated when Bynum missed the entire 2012-2013 season and never once suited up for Philly after having yet another knee surgery. Bryant is a ball-dominator, after all. [57], On March 14, Bynum tied his career high in rebounds with 18 against Howard and the Magic.[58]. It might be for the best, for both the player and the game. Bynum had been a McDonalds All-American his senior year at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey, averaging 22.4 points, 16.8 rebounds, and 5.3 blocks per game. Bynum said he was considering retirement even before this season started, but it would take one hell of a person to turn down $6 million for a few months of work. [71][72][73] He was fined by the team around $7,500 for his actions. Still, Bynum's psyche was never the real part of him that had an adversarial relationship with the game. darkshark21. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. I need him to be more black swan.". Heres our first projection of the 2024 NFL Draft class. Winners will be chosen at random from comments on videos where the giveaway is mentioned and will be notified within 48hrs. [59], On April 12 against the San Antonio Spurs, Bynum hyper-extended his right knee [60] A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam revealed he had a bruised knee, and he missed the last game of the regular season. This was so controversial when it came out because it was the same summer when Kobe had demanded a trade. Eligibility restrictions apply. Well, just imagine if Anthony Davis, instead of politely requesting a trade, hoisted up half-court shots every time he touched the ball in practice as a means of facilitating his departure from the New Orleans Pelicans. Not that Kobe expected anything less. Prada's Pictures: The Knicks' sad, terrible defense. [47] Postponing surgery until after the playoffs, Bynum appeared in all 23 of the Lakers' playoff games, averaging 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. "Because we will talk about you like a dog, like a chump. It's just Kobe saying he was disappointed that the team didn't get Jason Kidd for Bynum. [42][43] He was not the same player,[34][44] averaging 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while often in foul trouble. He later helped the Lakers to back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010, the high points of a career that ended sooner . "[63], In the Lakers' second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Bynum was ejected in the final game of the Mavericks' four-game sweep for a flagrant foul on J. J. Barea moments after teammate Lamar Odom was ejected for fouling Dirk Nowitzki. [13][14] During the game, he missed his two field goal attempts but had two rebounds and two blocks. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. My 4 favorite team hauls from the 2023 NFL Draft, 5 rebuilding teams that nailed the 2023 NFL Draft. And we need Andrew at his best for us to have a chance. Miraculously, Orlando won that massive trade despite being the only team that didn't get an All-Star back. .m-sbnation-2014-nfl-playoff-coverage img { "I think in the first quarter I had 10, so I guess I was kind of slacking the rest of the game," Bynum said. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Although knee injuries that had plagued Andrew Bynum since he was 12 years old continued to surface, the youngster was getting better each and every year. In September 2008, Bynum said that he was 100% healthy and was ready to participate in training camp, which was scheduled to begin at the end of the month, after working with his trainer. Stats while with Kobe: 11.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg Great size, good. They are above it. Gambling Problem? "Personally I think they traded No. One way or another, fate felled the Lakers. The Bynum conundrum, though, is the sort of real-life, make-or-break decision with the potential to cost whatever execs are involved their jobs if things go wrong (or make them stars if it all . To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Andrew Bynum Accolades while with Kobe: NBA champion in 2009 and 2010, All-Star in 2012, All-NBA 2nd Team in 2012. "Later, I felt I was able to get the ball more and do more things with the ball, so I could definitely see how it could stunt growth.". Theyre not used to dealing with players of Drews ambition, Im sure, at this stage of his career. You must have a YouTube account/email to enter. The shared resolve to play through pain continues. [35] On October 30, 2008, he agreed to sign a 4-year, $58million contract with the Lakers. F------ ship his ass out,". "I thought it really helped me a lot obviously at first, because he draws so much attention it's hard for guys to double team and key on you, so it helped me tremendously," Bynum told a group of L.A. reporters before the Lakers played the Sixers on Sunday. It wasn't the easiest thing for a 19-year-old flung into premature adulthood to hear. He finished with 17 minutes, 1-of-5 from the field, seven points, four rebounds and two blocks. As was intricately detailed in Lee Jenkins' 2011 profile in Sports Illustrated, Bynum doesn't just have interests outside of basketball, he has obsessions. He did not trash Bynum at all, just simply stated they should have sent him out because "This is Jason Kidd were talking about." It was hoop talk, not trash talk. It was a role Bynum had previously resisted. O'Donnell: Andrew Bynum's irreconcilable differences with basketball, The Hook: Sixers, Suns show off the new 1-year rebuild, Joe Johnson keeps killing teams at the buzzer. He was expected to back up All-Star center Roy Hibbert along with Ian Mahinmi. The Lakers laugh at organizational mortality. Bynum rarely, if ever, complains about his injuries even though his knees have been through so much at this point that he actually ices them before games once he goes through his pregame workout. Forty-nine playoff appearances in 53 seasons -- that doesn't just happen to normal teams. On February 2, 2009 it was revealed that Bynum had suffered a torn MCL in his right knee and would be out 812 weeks. The quote speaks to Bryants mentality. Im sure Drew wont take many of them.. [41] Still recovering from his knee injury, he played in the playoffs wearing an awkward knee brace. I was in that position, and obviously I have a lot of experience in dealing with myself and playing with Shaquille when Shaquille was young and being mentored by Phil (Jackson) and things like that. As his play improved, teams began to explore acquiring Bynum in a trade. Sports: Fear the Sword, from before Bynum's suspension, on how his play was hurting the Cavs. Another team may think they can around Bynum, but the last two years are starting to feel like a death sentence for his basketball career. It was a glitch in the the never-released EA Sports video game NBA Elite 11. He was that good. He also gave LA a necessary rebounder against the Boston Celtics frontcourt of Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins in the NBA Finals. The 25-year-old Bynum warned that Howard will have to get used to the balancing act of playing alongside Bryant. "Obviously I've been off for quite some time now. He signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of the 2013-2014 season, the season that would prove to be his last in the NBA. He said his right knee has improved considerably, but he is still feeling discomfort in his left one. What's really difficult is feigning enjoyment out of something that causes your entire body to ache. It was reminiscent of one of those Most Interesting Man in the World advertisements: "I don't always shoot 6-for-28 from the field, but when I do, I become the youngest player in league history to score 28,000 career points.". ", If you know anything about Bynum, the math checks out. Eligibility restrictions apply. For sure, Bynum cannot let expansion of his game interfere with his more important defensive responsibilities in the playoffs, the same way Bryant knew to rein it in and dump it in more to Shaq in the playoffs. So nothing really rattles me.. The Lakers revised their defense to have big men no longer were responsible for the perimeter against guards coming off screens, and Lakers' defenders would instead funnel the plays inside to Bynum. Heres Adrian Wojnarowski in 2014, back then with Yahoo Sports. [11] After selecting him in the draft, the Lakers hired Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to work with Bynum. Bynum said he has "no regrets" about the path that led him out of L.A. Rather than complain about Bryant's shot total compared to his, Bynum put the onus on himself, saying that it's his responsibility to get in better shape and run the floor faster to earn more touches. He was born on June 6, 1974 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Deacon Aaron Bynum and Eldress Kathryn (White-Bynum) Pollard. The 2009-10 Lakers won eight fewer games than the season before, but Kobe Bryant and Co. still looked like one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA entering the playoffs. Just three years ago, everything came crashing down for the Lakers. In fact, he agreed with them. width: 100%; Andrew Bynum would play just 24 games for the Cavs before being suspended in December 2013 for conduct detrimental to the team, which stemmed from his shooting the ball every time he touched it at practice, no matter how far he was from the rim. Here is a quick look at Thrope's rankings for the Post-Season MVP: Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers. "You want to play against your old team always," Bynum said. But well really never know. No one likes being in the hospital or the rehab that comes later, even if you're getting paid millions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA).