Andrew Bynum

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Andrew Bynum bigraphy, stories - American basketball player

Andrew Bynum : biography

October 27, 1987 –

Andrew Bynum (born October 27, 1987) is an American professional basketball center who was most recently under contract with the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bynum was named an All-Star and an All-NBA selection for the first time in 2012.

Bynum was an All-American player in high school before he decided to forgo college and enter the 2005 NBA Draft. He was selected with the 10th overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, and he became the youngest player ever to play an NBA game. Bynum missed significant time due to injuries, but he played hurt in the playoffs and continued as a starter as the Lakers won consecutive NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. He was traded after the 2011–12 season from the Lakers to the 76ers as part of a four-team deal that also sent All-Star center Dwight Howard to Los Angeles. Bynum missed the entire 2012–13 season because of knee problems.

NBA career

Los Angeles Lakers (2005–2012)

Rookie season

Bynum playing in a game against the [[San Antonio Spurs.]] In the 2005 NBA Draft, Bynum was selected 10th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. At age , Bynum was 12 days younger than Jermaine O’Neal, the previous youngest player drafted by an NBA team. After selecting him in the draft, the Lakers hired Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to work with Bynum. On November 2, 2005, during the Lakers’ season opener against the Denver Nuggets, Bynum played six minutes and became the youngest player ever to play in an NBA game at age . During the game, he missed his two field goal attempts but had two rebounds and two blocks. In his second season, Bynum was still the youngest player in the league, due to his draft year being the last that a player could be drafted straight out of high school.

In a game against the Miami Heat on January 15, 2006, Bynum matched up against former Laker center Shaquille O’Neal for the first time. At one point, O’Neal dunked over Bynum on a putback attempt. On the next play, Bynum spun past O’Neal and dunked the ball. He then ran down the court and shoved O’Neal with his elbow, who retaliated by elbowing Bynum’s upper chest. Teammate Kobe Bryant quickly stepped in between the two. Both Bynum and O’Neal received technical fouls for the incident.

Bynum showed flashes of dominance but was far from consistent. He had then-career highs of 16 rebounds and seven blocks on January 26, 2006 against the Charlotte Bobcats. His first career double-double on November 7 included a career-high 20 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks on January 5 against Denver Nuggets.

2006–07 season

With Lakers centers Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown injured at the start of the 2006–07, Bynum served as their starting center. Bynum scored 18 points and had 9 rebounds in 24 minutes against the Phoenix Suns on October 31, 2006, making seven of his eleven attempts from the field. He appeared in 82 games and started 53 and finished the season with averages of 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds, in just over 21 minutes per game. He also averaged 1.6 blocks per game. During the season, the New Jersey Nets were interested in acquiring Bynum for Jason Kidd.

After the season, Coach Pete Newell was impressed with Bynum’s development, and stated that teammate Kobe Bryant should back off on his negative treatment of Bynum on the court. Bryant was also shown on an infamous amateur video saying that center Bynum should have been traded for Kidd. The Indiana Pacers also made a trade offer for Bynum. The Lakers would exercise a fourth-year contract option on Bynum.

2007–08 season

Bynum on a [[slam dunk.]] Bynum’s helped the Lakers start to a 26–11 record, which was at the time the best record in the Pacific Division. Bynum played 35 games and started in 25 games during the season. On Christmas Day against the Phoenix Suns, he made 11-of-13 shots for 28 points to complement 12 boards, 4 assists and 2 blocks.

On January 13, 2008, he suffered an injury during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Bynum partially dislocated his left kneecap when he landed awkwardly on teammate Lamar Odom’s left foot while attempting to grab a rebound.