Andrew Bynum Breaks Up With Kareem

Posted Oct 02, 2009 9:30AM By Tom Ziller (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Lakers

There was a time when you couldn't ever find a photo of Andrew Bynum on a practice court with that hulking icon of Lakers lore, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, right behind him. When the Lakers drafted Bynum in the lottery in 2005, they attached KAJ to his hip, to be a mentor and basketball sensai.

Bynum has otherworldly talent, and a dominating physique. He has shown glimpses of pending stardom. But it never seemed like his spirit or head were fully on board with the Kareem Sessions, at least from the armchair vantage point. Bynum has always seemed preoccupied with proving he doesn't need help than with actually accepting it.

This is why it's not particularly surprising to see the Los Angeles Daily News's Ramona Shelburne report that Kareem and Bynum have effectively broken up.

Shelburne reports that Bynum did not see KAJ once this summer. (Instead, Bynum spent 41 days on a vacation in Europe and Asia, and six weeks in Atlanta working with his personal trainer.) Kareem will not be spending the season in L.A. to work with Bynum; instead, he'll spend more time at his home in New York.

Kareem definitely sounds upset in his quotes to Shelburne -- "Maybe he feels that there are things to be gained by doing it his way. So he's going to try it his way" -- but KAJ has to know he can't save Bynum from himself. If Bynum thinks he has learned everything he needs to from the leading scorer in NBA history, if he thinks he has no use for a personal mentor who has been there and done that ... well then, more power to him. He'll be responsible for his own failures or success anyway. He can live with it.

In a more macro way, it's sad that Kareem will apparently be away from the game this season. You wonder if he'd agree to take any other pivots under his wing, if requested. There are plenty of big men in the league who need help, and you have to think a few will be more gracious than Bynum.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

10-02-2009 @ 10:04AM

RMJ=H said...

I know it's unpopular to take the side of the kid and not the HOFer, but just to play devil's advocate here... is it possible KAJ just isn't that great a coach?

I say that not to be harsh, I mean I love me some Roger Murdoch and the sky hook is sweet, but the most talented big men don't always make the best coaches. I'd direct you exhibit A: Patrick Ewing (somebody please save Dwight Howard!). I also don't get the sense that any NBA team is knocking on KAJ's door indicating that I'm not the only one that thinks this way.

10-02-2009 @ 12:09PM

jopoch said...

ewing is not coaching dwight well? you gotta be kidding. dwight drastically improved under ewing, especially last year.

5thStFreddie said...

It is very hard to figure Bynum. He was turning into a great NBA center -- Western Conference Player of the Week -- when he was injured last season, and was dominating the year before wehn he ws injured. His play in the NBA Finals last year was baffling: his best game was 9 points and 9 rebounds. He's at a crossroads: either he's going to fulfill that extraodinary potential, or he's going to wind up on the Sam Bowie/Ralph Sampson lists of underachieving giants.

10-02-2009 @ 2:22PM

Giles said...

Can you say, trade? It has been rumored Bynumo might be dealt, maybe with Fisher and Brown, for Bosh. If Bynum has already been divorced from KAJ/Cage, he should also already be divorced from the Lakers. One of his problems is Gasol has filled out, gained muscle, and is now better suited to center than forward. And Bynum does not have the quickness to play forward. He is even fuller, though not as good a center. Another problem is, like too many younger guys, he only wants to be spoon fed on offense, everyone supporting him, he does not want to pass, cut without the ball, or play defense. Toronto needs his muscle. They now have a finesse forward, Turk, so don`t need Bosh at wing forward. Odom was the third option in the playoffs, Bynum maybe sixth man. Bosh could move in as third option, dropping Odom or Artest down to fourth option or fifth. But Toronto better get Olajuwon or someone to coach Bynum. Like Howard, he is still raw. I think Wing will do well with Howard, but he has a LOT of work ahead of him. Shame their isn`t anyone much good in New York for Kaj to coach right now. Milicic? Curry? Lopez? Yi? Not exactly awe inspiring talents. Maybe Kaj will have to settle for being our new commissioner, not a coach, if he stays in New York. Nowitzki definetly needs a post man to coach him in Dallas. Maybe Mark Cuban will lure Bill Walton out of the broadcast booth, or convert Kevin McHale from a retired GM into an assistant coach? Dikembe Mtumbo would be a wonderful assistant coach for Thabeet and, if he stays, Marc Gasol, in Memphis, if Dike doesn`t decide to play again this year after all (and who else does Houston have at center, with Ming out? No one who can play, just forwards).

10-04-2009 @ 5:43PM

uah44 said...

That's your rumor. Keep it to yourself.

10-07-2009 @ 4:12PM

richcantwell109 said...

Amazing, so much knowledge, and with no TV. How ever do you do it? Stop the baiting Giles. We will see what happens.....oh, never mind, you can't SEE anything.

10-03-2009 @ 1:42AM

mcjesus666 said...

it's amazing how a story can be reported 2 differant ways. In the LA times, it was reported that the two would not work together on a consistent basis anymore. In this "story", they're "breaking up". Sounds like more sports "writers" trying to spin more drama out of the lakers camp. What, you couldn't write about Odom's wedding cuz a bunch of TMZ reporter punked you....give me a break...I bet you followed the farve saga with equal enthusiasm. Yes, I know I cant spell.

10-03-2009 @ 1:45AM

hey it was also suggested that the lakers didn't want to pay kareem a salary this year to save money; then again, mabey i'm just being a sensationalist!

10-03-2009 @ 11:49AM

cabinetec said...

Im an advid Laker fan and having watched Bynum from the outset of his NBA stardom this is what I have observed. He has the body and the physical talent to be a superstar but the HEART and DESIRE are not there. You need some of both to be a starter in the league but you need ALOT of both to be a superstar. He is too TIMID and has NO competetive FIRE at this stage. He will be traded this year i believe

10-03-2009 @ 11:53AM

GILES you just covered half the NBA teams in an article about one player. LOL TOO funny

10-04-2009 @ 9:33AM

cpbr2000 said...

Andrew will not be traded this season or no other season..he is locked in for a long time..why would they trade him ? it would be a stupid decision..he will only get better if he stays healthy..remember he is only 21..please stop with all the negative talk..one day he will make all-pro and then what will they say..Kareem can only do so much for him..the final decision is up to Andrew to make himself better

10-04-2009 @ 5:45PM

Maybe he needed a break from basketball. He deserved a vacation.

10-06-2009 @ 9:47PM

socaldave613 said...

Whoa this man sat out half of the last two seasons why would he need to vacation in the off season when he can do it in season? His body is flawed, he will be out again by Xmas . Book him a flight to Hawaii

10-06-2009 @ 10:07PM

Socaldave613, when you get hurt its always on your mind. People wanted to write this 21 year old kid off after he came back. He needed to get his mind off of the injury and come back fresh. I think he did the right thing. We didnt see the Bynum in the playoffs that we were seeing before he got hurt. If we had, the Lakers wouldnt have lost a game.

10-04-2009 @ 7:25PM

It has been reported by one of the FanHouse writers previously. Though he didn`t mention the guards to even the trade a bit more. As for those to young to remember, Wilt played all `58/`59 for the Harlem GlobeTrotters, and summers thereafter, while Kareem was growing up in Harlem. Kareem left for Ucla in `65, but they met again in `68 when Wilt was traded to the Lakers. What, you think the Lakers should trade the all star Gasol? If they don`t, Bynum doesn`t have the speed, nor the commitment to D to be more than a back up, and he`s better than that. Probably won`t ever make all pro, but might make all star. But a team depending on him would need him to play D to win enough for him to be able to make all star. And so far, he has shown little enthusiasm on that end of the court. But he is young yet, maybe it will come.

10-04-2009 @ 7:24PM

ht22ht said...

Andrew should convern himself to playing DEFENSE!! With his bulk and reach, he could easily get at least 15 rebounds each game. He has a good touch in scoring that he can score 10 to 15 points a game. With the supporting teammates he does not need to score. Blocks and rebounds is all the Lakers needs from him. He needs to play to his potential and quit loafing now and then during the game. Should he play good defense and rebound, the Lakers will repeat!!!!

10-05-2009 @ 12:24PM

This will be the 3rd NBA pre-season that I have said the same thing. The man is S-O-F-T, and trading him for Bosh would be no improvement. Then again, maybe soft is the way to go since physicality has become obsolete in the NBA.

10-05-2009 @ 2:56PM

If they man wants some time off from basketball, maybe the Lakers should hire Greg Ostertag, he`s had three years off, or Bryant Reeves, or bring Chris Mihm back, after they have traded Bi-Numb. He is slow to play defense. They couldn`t be much slower. And they could be signed for the veteran miminum. I`d be glad to accept the difference between the two salaries. Who wouldn`t? So, no, I won`t keep the trade rumor to myself. It is already posted. You don`t like it, cry.