The year was 2005, and the Lakers were coming off a horrible season where they missed the playoffs for the first time in years. It was a year indicative of the Lakers rebuilding their team. Kobe Bryant, the lakers' lone all-star was not getting any younger, and team had to be built to win NOW. Therefore, the 2005 first round draft pick became all the more important for the rebuilding process.
Thats where the Lakers shocked everyone. They had to win NOW and therefore many thought the lakers would pick an NBA-ready player, with little training or nurturing required to be ready for the tough NBA court. Instead, the Lakers went with 17-year-old Andrew Bynum straight out of high school, making him the youngest NBA player picked in all time.
Andrew Bynum was born in Oct 27, 1987 at the height of 7 foot tall. His size did not compensate for this height, looking scrawny next to other NBA centers. His selection left many scratching their heads in wonder. He was extremely young and immature, an obvious project that could very well fail. At the 10th pick, he was considered a waste of a draft pick. Many criticized his work ethic and his passion for the game.
For myself, I was intrigued. I decided to reserve my judgements till Ive at least seen him play. And when I did, I was impressed. He was called into the game by hall-of-fame coach phil jackson to go help defend the uber-dominant shaquille o'neal, being the only player with enough height to match what many considered the best center of all time.
he was humiliated almost immeadiately after entering the game. Home-schooled by the NBA veteran wanting to prove no young'un is going to come into his home. Shaq muscled with bynum, dunking over him with such force that left poor bynum sprawled on the floor. Everyone not a laker fan laughed at the sight, and every laker fan sighed in what seemed to be an expected result.
Something incredible happened after that. Bynum just got up and sprinted down the floor, fire in his eyes. He positioned himself at the high-post and demanded the ball. Kobe passed it to him, and after two dribbles, he spun so quickly that the heavier Shaq could not catch up, slamming the ball in, to the delight of all Laker fans. And down the floor, he gave shaq a message that he was not in the least bit intimidated. Shaq got pissed.
Don't believe me? Here's a video.
No passion my ass.
Bynum soon developed a work ethic that impressed perennial work-horse, Kobe Bryant. He matured rapidly, and help shoulder the lakers into becoming a contender after just three years of rebuilding, extremely fast for any team. His latest game against the Clippers as I'm writing this, he went super-nova for 42 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. This one young man, right now at a age of 21, that Im going to keep track of.
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