First-time NBA All-Star Andrew Bynum wants a dose of the plays his Staples Center co-inhabitants are currently running.
Not that he’s never been on the receiving end of alley-oop passes from the guards of the Lakers, but Bynum is looking forward to turning Orlando into another “Lob City,” even for just a night – when he starts for the West team in the All-Star game at Amway Center this weekend.
Speaking to several sports journalists from Southeast Asia in a recent conference call arranged by NBA Asia to drum up interest in the All-Star weekend, the seven-foot Lakers center expressed enthusiasm for making it to the annual convention of the world’s best cagers for the first time in his career.
Bynum, who made his NBA debut in 2005 at 18 years and six days – making him the youngest player ever to see action in an NBA regular season game – will join Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant, the Clippers’ Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder as starters for the West squad.
That’s four starters from Los Angeles alone, two of whom are Lob City’s most powerful administrators. And Bynum, for his part, could hardly wait to collect dimes from Paul himself.
Bynum: Show me some 'lob.' (AP photo)
"It has to be Chris Paul," Bynum declared when asked who he is looking forward to playing with. "It would be the first time in my career playing with a guy who has the vision at that point guard spot like he does." [You read that part, Derek Fisher?]
This early, the league's current best center not named Dwight Howard is sending a message to Paul to find him inside the paint this Saturday (Sunday in Manila), as the latter usually does for Griffin.
"I’m looking forward to getting a couple of lobs thrown my way from CP," said Bynum, who averages 16.3 points and 12.6 rebounds per game this season.
How about pick-and-roll plays, another Lob City key attraction?
"I’m pretty sure. Hopefully that will be in the offense. I think me and Blake will be fighting each other, trying to get picking and rolling so that we can get some dunks," he added.
Hopefully, Andrew and Blake will get along just fine while jockeying for position over who gets to enjoy Paul’s dishes. Remember Blake, your soon-to-be All-Star teammate has a background in boxing.
Author’s note: Special thanks to NBA Asia director for business development and marketing partnerships and Philippine country manager Carlo Singson and NBA Asia director for marketing communications Sheila Rasu for letting a lowly writer like me join the conference call with Andrew Bynum.