Maybe AJ is so motivated right now with a new 3 year $10 plus million contract in his pocket. Not bad for someone who only had no college basketball and only 11 NBA games.
Quote:
Now that Bynum has taken another massive developmental step in his third NBA season, Coach Phil Jackson was asked Wednesday if there was anything that could have made it happen sooner.
He paused for seven seconds before answering.
"No."
In what way?
"It's the idea of 'OK, yeah, I've got to dedicate myself to this process and that's a start.' Now you find someone that's going to be your workout guy.
"You start it by saying, 'I'm an alcoholic, I need to go to AA.' It's the same process: 'I need to get in the best possible shape I can. I need to have a vested interest in that.' As soon as you do that, you turn the corner."
What motivated Bynum?
"My guess is his contract," Jackson said. "Dollars are green. The idea, that 'Hey, it's coming up, I've got to get some traction here. This process is real short.' " |
AJ wouldn't be the first guy to slack off in effort after signing a big contract. A three year $10 million plus contract for a guy with no college basketball and only 11 NBA games is large by anyone's standards.
Now I am not saying that that is what is happening, because AJ continues to maintain that he has to work hard. But saying and doing are completely different things.
Maybe he isn't working hard enough to develop like Flipper and Joe D. want him to, so he is sitting.
A player needs to show max effort all of the time, whether in practice or in a game.
The proof is as they say "always in the pudding" and right now the pudding is sitting on the bench.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakerep10jan10,1,2022348.story?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true 