Final Grades and Performance Reviews

Daniel Buerge
31 Min Read

Andrew Bynum:

Andrew Bynum did a lot of growing up during the 2009-2010 season. Coming off two straight years of devastating knee injuries, Bynum was eager to prove his worth to the team. He definitely showed flashes of greatness, and has the potential to be a star center in the NBA, if he can stay healthy. Bynum again suffered a damaging knee injury towards the end of the season that limited him in the playoffs.

June 17, 2010 - Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - epa02208259 Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum (R) and Boston Celtics' Rasheed Wallace (L) at tip-off during the first half of game seven of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, USA, 17 June 2010.


In the NBA Finals, however, Baby Bynum disappeared and a grown man took his place. Instead of succumbing to the injury and accepting defeat for the third straight season, Bynum played through the pain and was a crucial part of their victory over Boston in the NBA Finals. While Bryant won the Finals MVP, and Gasol and Artest were credited with much of the glory after Game 7, the Lakers would not have defeated the Celtics and won their second consecutive title without Andrew Bynum.

Due to the injuries and the inconsistencies throughout the season Bynum earns a grade of a C. While the potential is as high as it has ever been for the young center, until he is able to remain healthy throughout the season and into the playoffs he will be known as unreliable and injury-prone.

Next: Shannon Brown…

Follow:
Daniel is the former Managing Editor of LakersNation. He has also written for SLAM, ESPN and other various publications. Follow Daniel on Twitter @danielbuergeLA