For all of the progress Andrew Bynum has made this year he still remains a child in a man’s body. We’ve seen a lot of Bynum the beast this season. His physical presence in the post has been instrumental in the improved Lakers defense. His machine-like footwork has made Drew a dominant force on offense.
No matter his talent though, the first time All-Star is still an immature young man. Last night in Houston Bynum the beast gave way to Bynum the child.
Andrew still hasn’t learned how to control his selfish emotions. NBA officials are among the most headstrong individuals in all of sports. They routinely disregard the superstar status of players at times making their own egos the center of attention. An NBA ref can change the dynamic of a game with one blow of the whistle. Like it or not, that is just the power a well-paid basketball official has.
Last night Bynum was baited into an ejection. During an otherwise meaningless moment in the contest, Drew some how managed to get himself an early shower.
We might not ever know what was said to merit an ejection but the body language said it all. The ref was simply waiting for Bynum to say the magic word. Like clockwork Baby Bynum took the bait and then took his team’s chances of victory with him to the locker room.
Now Drew isn’t to blame for another listless Laker loss. But he certainly wasn’t around to help aid in the effort to win.
As bad as it was to see Bynum ejected what was even worse was the manner in which he left the court. Proving he’s learned nothing from his shirtless exit in Dallas, Bynum began high-fiving Houston fans, smiling all the way to the locker room.
What was worth celebrating? What was so funny about taking an early shower?
Only Bynum knows and he refused to talk about it after the loss. Mike Brown didn’t hesitate to express his disappointment. Neither did Phil Jackson when he had to deal with such issues. All of that is lost on Bynum.
He might be the most skilled true center in the game but Bynum’s maturity trumps all his talent. You can’t block shots from the showers. No matter how long his arms are there’s no way Drew can dunk from the locker room.
Jim Buss might love him some Andrew Bynum but he’s got to have some serious concerns about building around an individual so immature. Even with his uneven temper Kobe Bryant finds a way to walk the line as such he won’t hurt his team’s chances of winning on any given night. The same cannot be said for Bynum. Not when he’s still wrestling with the baby inside.