Andrew Bynum: Center Facing Unparalleled Pressure as New Face of 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have not had a star player since four-time scoring champion Allen Iverson, and Andrew Bynum will be expected to change that immediately this season.

Not only is Philadelphia better than they have been in some time, but Bynum is the second-best center in the league. Anything short of a second straight All-Star appearance will be considered a failure, especially because we have no idea if he will extend with Philadelphia when this season ends.

The 76ers will want the most out of him while they can, and in a way that presents more pressure than Bynum ever encountered in a Lakers uniform.

It's hard to fathom. The Lakers play in Los Angeles, one of the United States' media meccas, but Philadelphia also holds an extremely proud sports tradition. The 76ers have won three NBA championships throughout their franchise history, but that oven has been cold since 1983.

Yeah, that's an awfully long time. 

Bynum is supposed to hold the key to changing that. He's the most offensively-gifted center in the NBA, and he still has room to grow. At 24 years old, his best years are ideally still in front of him. 

Last season's 76ers squad lost to the Boston Celtics in a riveting seven-game series. They played the savvy Celtics with everything they had, but they didn't have that one player on offense who could take over a game at a moment's notice.

Now they do, and Bynum better be ready. He doesn't have Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant to pick him up and off night, and he doesn't have any more excuses. 

The time is now, and Philadelphia fans are going to demand immediate production from their shiny new star.

Philadelphia has turned over a fair amount of players from last year's roster. Andre Iguodala, Jodie Meeks, Lou Williams and Nikola Vucevic have all moved on. Philadelphia is banking on Bynum to help them forget all of those losses.

At least Bynum is used to pressure of some variety. Los Angeles is very much a "win-now" culture, and he's experienced that since 2005. He also was expected to fill a star's shoes there as well as the successor to Shaquille O'Neal's massive career.

But this is different. The Lakers won an NBA title in 2010. They always expect to win, but the 76ers haven't tasted an NBA championship in almost 30 years.

It's not a "championship or bust" scenario for the 76ers, but Bynum will be expected to do everything he can to help his team contend in the Eastern Conference whether he wants to be there or not.