Andrew Bynum: Maturity the Key to Success

Andrew Bynum has shown this year that he is the best pure center in the NBA.

No offense to Dwight Howard, who is the best athlete at the center position by a long shot, but Bynum is the last of the old-school centers. His fundamentals on the block, both defensively and offensively, are the best in the NBA.

Yet one thing Bynum needs to work on, is learning his place on this Lakers team.

Pau Gasol is primarily a high screen-and-roll big at this point which translates to the paint being solely controlled by Bynum and the results have been tremendous for the young center and Lakers fans alike. With Bynum patrolling the paint, the floor opens up for Sessions to slash and Kobe to be Kobe.

What Los Angeles doesn't need are three point hoists from their star center.

There's nothing wrong with trying to expand your game, as long as it is not to the detriment of the team.

Mike Brown was absolutely right to bench Bynum. His defiant attitude revealed the work that is still there to do.

Kobe was benched a game earlier. He handled it the way a professional and a leader does: not publicly challenging his coach, knowing full well that cohesion and chemistry are the invaluable intangibles that lead to championships.

That maturity is why Kobe is the leader of this team.

Whether Bynum can evolve into that type of leader one day remains to be seen. The jury is still out in regards to his maturity.