Andrew Bynum has been playing well of late, which makes his mentor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, pleased with the young center's progress.
"He just turned 20 years old!" Abdul-Jabbar said. "To be 20 years old and to be in this position is really great. His level of play and his effectiveness can keep going on an upward grade. I think he has every chance of doing well. In a lot of ways, he's still a teenager, so you've got to give him an opportunity to get through that, but he's greatly improved. It's all good stuff."
Bynum is deftly working the screen-and-roll, often with Kobe Bryant, and he is getting more scoring opportunities, including a couple of alley-oop passes a game.
His hands are reliable, his footwork is improved, and he seems much more comfortable than he did at the end of last season, when he limped to the finish line, averaging only 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in his last 26 games.
"It's obvious he's gotten better at recognizing what to do," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He's in better physical condition. His IQ really has improved, and the guys have learned how and where to find him at crucial times. That's always the key -- you've got to do the right thing at the right time."