Bynum is Lakers’ man in the middle

EL SEGUNDO — Andrew Bynum shouldered his way toward the basket the other day in the Lakers’ scrimmage, leaping for dunks, rebounds and blocked shots while dazzling a handful of coaches and onlookers.

Meanwhile, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sat impassively on the sideline, fixing his gaze on his youthful prot g . Abdul-Jabbar spoke quietly to a visitor as the 20-year-old Bynum went through a spirited workout at the team’s practice facility.

“It all depends on how good he wants to be and what he can learn,” said Abdul-Jabbar, a Hall of Fame center who now serves as a Lakers assistant coach. “He’s got skills he can use, but he’s barely scratched the surface.”

The next night, Bynum apparently decided he wanted to be very good. He matched his career high by scoring 20 points in the Lakers’ victory Sunday over the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and had five blocks, dominating the undersized Warriors at both ends of the floor.

“I think he’s a sensational young player, just like you do,” Golden State coach Don Nelson would later say, smiling and winking at a reporter who had asked for his impression of the 7-foot center.

Bynum’s standout game raised his season averages to 10.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. It also was his 10th double-double of 2007-08, which equaled his total for all of his first two seasons in the NBA.

Indeed, Bynum continues to grow as a player and as a person, but he still has miles to run before he can claim to have mastered the game and conquered adulthood. So says Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who hasn’t been afraid to criticize Bynum publicly.”Well, it’s interesting how things turn out,” Jackson said. “I just had to give him a little bit of a jolt the other day because he wasn’t at practice on time to work with Kareem when he was supposed to be there.”

It wasn’t the first time Bynum has arrived late for a tutorial with Abdul-Jabbar. Bynum’s work habits were the subject of much discussion last season, too.

What’s more, Kobe Bryant tore into Bynum during that infamous rant captured on amateur video in a Newport Beach parking lot last summer.

Coincidence or not, Bynum hired a personal trainer during the offseason and arrived in Hawaii for training camp in vastly improved shape. As a result, Bynum’s teammates feel more comfortable playing with him this season.

Bryant has become a fan.

Click here to read more