<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> LONG BEACH - He lumbered up and down the court, as the effects of four games in five nights and the physical style of the NBA finally began to show. And so began the education of 17-year-old Lakers center Andrew Bynum. The Lakers' first-round draft pick played eight games in 12 days in the Summer Pro League at the Pyramid, finishing his summer Tuesday with a whimper. Bynum had just four points in the Lakers' 78-76 loss to the Miami Heat, which won on a last-second shot by Wayne Simien. Bynum missed seven of his shots and didn't attempt a free throw. He admitted he was tired. "It's a lot of basketball, but that's not an excuse," said Bynum, who was taken with the 10th overall pick in June out of St. Joseph High School in New Jersey. "I just came out and played bad." Admitting that he played badly is a good thing, as far as the Lakers are concerned. One of the things they love about Bynum is his willingness to admit to his faults. Of course, they also love his athleticism, his 7-foot frame -- which they think will grow even more -- his ability to run the floor, and how he has progressed in such a short time. Bynum averaged 10.6 points on 46.6 percent shooting, 7.5 rebounds and he blocked 13 shots in the summer league. "He got a hold of new information and new ideas and a better understanding of what it's going to have to take for him to play at this next level," Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "He's a willing learner." </div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LONG BEACH -- The countdown started for Andrew Bynum as soon as he walked out the door of the Pyramid on Tuesday afternoon, stopping to sign autographs for two teams of youth basketball players from Agoura Hills only seven years younger than himself. Eight games of the Summer Pro League season done for the 17-year-old center the Lakers drafted with the No. 10 pick in last month's NBA Draft. And 77 days to go until Bynum will report to training camp in Hawaii. "It's got to be a continual process for him," Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis said. "He's got to get in better shape. He's got to learn a lot of technique things. He's got to learn more about the offense. He has to get stronger -- he has to get himself in the weight room. "This was just a little starting point for him, and he's got to continue to grow from here." Bynum averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds and finished in double figures six of the Lakers' eight games. His worst performance might have come in Tuesday's 78-76 loss to Miami, when he made 2 of 9 shots and finished with more turnovers (five) than points (four). That could be attributed in part to a schedule that had the Lakers playing their fourth game in five days. And three weeks removed from the draft, Bynum said he remained convinced he could make a contribution in his rookie season. "I don't think it's going to be a long process at all," Bynum said. "I think if I just get in the gym and work out constantly, that I'll be ready. I'm going to try and make an impact this season." If nothing else, Bynum proved to be the curiosity that general manager Mitch Kupchak predicted on draft night. Summer-league attendance was up 25-30 percent, with hundreds of fans turned away before the Lakers' first two games. "We saw it when Kobe played his first game (in 1996), and we turned away about 3,000 people," SPL president John Younesi said. "It was shades of that." Bynum's strengths and weaknesses were easily apparent the past 12 days. During a three-minute stretch in the first quarter Tuesday, Bynum saw two of his shots blocked, committed a shot-clock violation and took a seat on the bench after picking up two fouls. He will have to get stronger to better establish position in the post and learn to shoot over taller opponents. But he displayed a nice hook shot and got up and down the court well. Bynum also got some advice from second-round draft pick Von Wafer. "I told Andrew he's got to be a little bit meaner," Wafer said. "I told him you've got to frown up sometimes."</div> Bynum Takes First Steps
This workout will be good for him. He came straight from high school, no college exp, and he is gonna need to bust his hump if he wants to do good. I hope he gets a beating, not injury, but a beating so he can be a little battle hardened by the time november comes along It's a good thing he admits to his faults, at least he is pinpointing them out like the article states. By the sounds of it he is one of those looking to improve. Not like how Kobe is, but respectable.
