Andrew Bynum

Andrew Bynum (born October 27, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After they selected him in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft with the 10th overall pick, the center won two NBA championships with the team in 2009 and 2010. He was named an All-Star and selected to the All-NBA Team in 2012. Bynum was an All-American player in high school before he decided to forgo college and enter the NBA. He became the youngest player ever to play in an NBA game. After seven seasons with the Lakers, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012 as part of a four-team deal that sent All-Star center Dwight Howard to Los Angeles. Bynum missed the entire 2012–13 season because of knee problems. He signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he briefly played before being traded to the Chicago Bulls, who subsequently released him. He then signed with the Indiana Pacers for the remainder of the 2013–14 season. Early years Bynum was born in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. His parents, Ernest Bynum and Janet McCoy, divorced when he was a one year old. He spent summers visiting his father in North Carolina. Bynum has one older brother, Corey. High school career Bynum attended St. Joseph High School, in Metuchen, New Jersey during his junior and senior year. For most of his freshman year, he attended West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North located in Plainsboro, New Jersey. For the remainder of his freshman year and his sophomore year he attended Solebury School in Solebury, PA. In his junior year of high school Bynum averaged 16.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 6.0 blocks. As a senior, he averaged 22.4 points, 16.8 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game. During his junior and senior year at St. Joseph High School, Bynum finished his high school career averaging 19.2 points, 14.9 rebounds, and 5.6 blocks in 32 appearances. He played in the 2005 McDonald's All-American game where he tallied 9 points and 5 rebounds. He originally planned to attend the University of Connecticut on a basketball scholarship; however, the 17-year-old made the decision to go directly into the NBA and made himself eligible for the 2005 NBA draft, where he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers.