Andrew Bynum Stands Tall

Hartford Courant: NEW YORK — Andrew Bynum didn’t have a spot in the Green Room, reserved by the NBA for likely first-round picks. But he was in the building and was sitting just behind the front section.

But more importantly, Bynum had a guarantee: He was going to be a lottery pick. After the Lakers took him at No.10 Tuesday night, he revealed that Los Angeles and the Portland Trail Blazers, which traded down for the No.6 pick, had guaranteed the 7-foot, 285-pound McDonald’s High School All-American out of St. Joseph’s (Metuchen, N.J.) that he would be in their plans.

“I actually thought my name was going to get called [at No.6],” said Bynum, 17. “I got a little bit nervous after that but I knew the Lakers would come through. I wanted to be a Laker and now I’m here.”

Bynum, who had committed to UConn, trusted what he was told, and it worked out.

Of course, Bynum wasn’t going to walk away from this night without taking a shot at the critics who said he wasn’t ready to play at the next level.

When Bynum, the youngest player ever drafted, met with the media, he stopped just short of sticking out his tongue and saying “Na, na, nana, na. Told you so.”

“It’s definitely satisfaction, because there were a lot of people, especially Connecticut press, that was saying that I wasn’t ready to go to the league, that I was making a stupid decision,” Bynum said. “[UConn coach Jim] Calhoun even came out and said that I was making a bad decision. But I’m happy to know that I proved them wrong.”

The Lakers had not drafted this high since taking Eddie Jones with the No.10 pick 11 years ago. They worked out more than 50 players for that pick, at every position.

And Bynum, who averaged 22 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks last season, was the player the organization felt made the most sense for the future.

“It’s very unusual that you could get a center in the draft,” said Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak. “Certainly we don’t know how it’s going to turn out. As far as we can tell, with checks we’ve run and the workouts we’ve attended, everything he has leads you to believe he could be a center down the road.”

From his home in Hilton Head, S.C., Calhoun probably cringed when he heard “down the road.”

“Yeah, that always concerns me when NBA people say that,” Calhoun said.

Calhoun, as one could imagine, did not sound as excited talking about Bynum, the recruit he lost, as he was about Charlie Villanueva, who went No.7 to the Toronto Raptors.

“I wish [Bynum] luck and best of luck to the Lakers,” Calhoun said. “I always said if he was going to be a top 10 pick, he should go. It looks like it was the right decision for him and his family and I wish them well but I’m more concerned with the guy who played for us.”

Certainly, Bynum’s decision to go pro hurt the Huskies a little bit. They were counting on Bynum being a big man who could help lead them to a third national title.

Bynum said he got his guaranteed lottery spot from the Lakers two days after working out for them a couple of weeks ago.

“I did really well in Portland, too, and Mr. [GM John] Nash took me out to lunch and he said a lot of good things about me and said he would see what they would do to get me and I thought that was it,” Bynum said.

He was all over the board with regard to his draft position. But Bynum knew something most people didn’t know.

“It’s going to be a great feeling playing for [coach] Phil Jackson,” Bynum said. “He’s got nine rings and playing along Kobe Bryant, the best player in basketball right now. That’s definitely a great combination. I think I’ll be able to benefit from the triangle because it requires a big man, the ones who post up and are back to the basket players. I think I’m one of those.”