the drafting of andrew bynum

[dockingsched]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-byn ... ory?page=1

Bynum then worked out in secret for Kupchak, Lester, scout Bill Bertka and Jim Buss at the pre-draft camp in Chicago and once more in Los Angeles for Jackson. Jackson was impressed but, with only a three-year contract, preferred someone such as Arizona's Channing Frye, who could play for him immediately.

Meanwhile, with the word spreading, Bynum went to work out for the Portland Trail Blazers, who had the No. 3 pick, then to see the Golden State Warriors, who had No. 8. "They [the Lakers] were like, 'We're really interested. We can't guarantee, but you're really high on our list,' " Bynum says. "We were like, 'OK, well, we'll go work out for Portland.' So then when I went to work out for Portland, I did really, really well there. . . ."I was about to work out for Golden State. I actually went up and talked to [GM] Chris Mullin." Which is when the Lakers jumped all the way in, committing themselves to draft him and ending the process. "I was just about to start the workout when [the Lakers] called," Bynum says, adding that he "shut it down" right then and there.

As enthusiastic as the rest of the staff, Jim called his father, who was in Europe, and convinced him it was a gamble worth taking, the kind West had built the franchise on.

Memphis GM Chris Wallace, then in Boston, remembers the surprise at the University of Connecticut, where Bynum had been expected to back up veterans Josh Boone and Hilton Armstrong. "There were some disconcerted people back in our area," Wallace says. "People were saying he's not even going to start at UConn, he's going to be third team."

Bynum's coach at St. Joseph's High in Metuchen, N.J., Mark Taylor, was flabbergasted. "I question his mentality," said Taylor, noting their early exit in the state tournament. "If he's an NBA player now, how do I lose in the first round?"

However, the Lakers hadn't been the only ones to notice Bynum. The Knicks' Isiah Thomas called the next day to ask if Bynum would be available in a trade.

[Erik Eleven]

Interesting stuff.

Thanks, dcash!

[kno]

So.. what wouldve Isiah been doing now if he traded srub X for Bynum after the draft?

Interesting quotes there. Thanks for sharing.

[That Nicka]

Good read, I actually cant wait to read part 2 tomorrow... Its great because it seems like Kobe, Pau and Andrew all have the personalities to mesh well together... Doesnt seem like there will be any ego trips like Kobe-Shaq or Amare-Marion

[tkb]

Nice find. Thanks for posting.

[salmahayek]

I remember saying this was a great move at the time and whether it worked out or not - it was the right move.

Glad it is all working out.

Sean May, even Granger? Please. Bynum was the right move all along even if we didn't know then what we know now.

[DubaLakers]

."I was about to work out for Golden State. I actually went up and talked to [GM] Chris Mullin." Which is when the Lakers jumped all the way in, committing themselves to draft him and ending the process. "I was just about to start the workout when [the Lakers] called," Bynum says, adding that he "shut it down" right then and there.

What does this mean? Lock him up before the draft? I don't get it.

[crazyeights]

Guaranteeing the Lakers would draft him, so he didn't have to work out for anyone else...he was in the lottery for sure.

[TylersLakers]

."I was about to work out for Golden State. I actually went up and talked to [GM] Chris Mullin." Which is when the Lakers jumped all the way in, committing themselves to draft him and ending the process. "I was just about to start the workout when [the Lakers] called," Bynum says, adding that he "shut it down" right then and there.

What does this mean? Lock him up before the draft? I don't get it.

Lakers told Drew that they were going to draft him if he was there at 10.. probably gave a guarantee. Golden State, who was going to see him work out, and picked BEFORE the Lakers, was going to see him work out. Bynum cancelled the work out, because he'd rather be a Laker than a Golden State Warrior.

So really, Drew shut down the workout for Golden State because of the Lakers' guarantee. Smart kid.

[Slava]

Isiah Thomas offered a trade? I wonder what was on the table?

[DEEP3CL]

Good stuff dcash.......................makes you wonder where we would be had we not drafted him.

[kno]

Good stuff dcash.......................makes you wonder where we would be had we not drafted him.

Lakers wouldve most likely had the same team, but replace the Gasol and Bynum tandem down low with a Frye/Sean May and Kwame Brown duo.

[Sedale Threatt]

I've read that quote from his h.s. coach before. What a douche bag thing to say about one of your own players. "How do I lose in the first round?" Way to put the kids first.

[dockingsched]

i didn't really think about that when i was looking for good quotes. what a jackass of a coach to say that about a 17 yr old kid. "how do i lose in the first round?", hmmm, i could think of an obvious answer.

[Sedale Threatt]

Exactly. The bit about "I question his mentality" is just as bad. I guess he was just being honest, but still...even high school coaches are usually pretty media savvy nowadays. A "no comment" might have been better, if only to make himself not look like a jerkoff.

Dude, I have to say, I love the old school Angels logo. I quit following baseball a long time ago, but for about five years I was a die-hard Angels fan, circa the Wally Joyner and Mike Witt era. I think I still have my old-school satin Starter jacket at my parents' house.

[dockingsched]

i had one of those jackets, i was young. parents told me to take it off and give it to a poor kid my age while we were in guatemala visiting family.