He’s looking forward to a fresh start in Oakland, more playing time, but says he misses LA – the city. I said he was a fan favorite down there, and he replied he has to start from scratch on that up here.

Really nice guy, I’m sure we all wish him nothing but the best.

The two examples that everyone would recognize when the big man decides he wants to score himself are 1). When Horace Grant/AC Green would catch at the high post and shoot the 15-18 ft. jumper from straight away. If Bynum is talking about being able to shoot this shot, I think he’s right in that this is a shot that he’s going to get with frequency off of ball reversals when he flashes from the weakside. And 2). When a the big man catches at the 15-18 ft. mark (at the FT line/top of the key), reverse pivots and takes a power dribble and attacks the basket. One of the best highlights from last season is when Bynum caught the ball at the top of the key, turned, power dribbled, and exploded for a left handed dunk off the wrong leg. AMAZING! Shaq did this as well and was very effective attacking the basket off a reverse pivot when he caught the ball at the top.

Also, realize too that if Bynum (and Gasol, too) can actually be a threat from the top of the key area, this will greatly enhance our ability to run a high/low with our two bigs as their defenders will not be able to sag off them without the threat of being scored on. Anyways….I’m rambling now.

I would love to see Bynum develop a jumpshot. And KG’s face up game is incredibly effective. But I really wish Andrew would forget about all of that and focus on the hook. The hook shot may not be as aesthetically pleasing as KG’s offensive repertoire, but it was the driving force in Jabbar’s six Most Valuable Player Awards and six NBA championships.

I don’t know about Bynum, but I find it extremely aesthetically pleasing to see a big man hoist the Maurice Podoloff and Larry O’Brien trophies over their head.

I’m not singling out Drew. That goes for every big man who thinks the hook shot is beneath them. It just so happens that Drew has Kareem as his coach. Bynum should take advantage of Jabbar’s knowledge of the most unstoppable shot in the history of the NBA.

Seriously though, that Bynum interview was a pleasure to read. He says all the right things, but I get the feeling he’s being genuine and not jut hitting the talking points. Just a great mix of candor, realistic assessments of his own strengths and weaknesses, and confidence.