Isiah thought Bynum too young for New York
Andrew Bynum's development this season has been one of the positives of the Los Angeles Lakers' surprisingly successful start to the season. But though the Knicks had a chance to draft the young big man instead of Channing Frye with the eighth overall pick in 2005, Isiah Thomas says he wasn't sure the New Jersey kid could endure "the beat-down here in New York" he would have had to endure as a developing player.
"The only reason why we didn't take Bynum was because of his age," Thomas said of Andrew Bynum, who was 17 at draft time. Thomas said he believed that the New York crowd would have been tough on Bynum in the two years that he would have had to develop.
Thomas, who traded Frye to Portland last summer in the deal for Zach Randolph, said Los Angeles is a better situation for Andrew Bynum. Thomas says that's because of the presence of Kobe Bryant, who, some may remember, publicly criticized Andrew Bynum while trying to force a trade last summer.
"Kobe makes all the difference," Thomas said. "When you're playing with a person such as him, you can hide a lot of things. He casts a big shadow and so you can do a lot of things and wait because of that guy named Bryant."
No love for Kobe
From the Hope It Doesn't Come Back to Haunt You Dept.: The Knicks failed to recognize Kobe Bryant on the Garden scoreboard after he became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points when he drilled a three-pointer to open the third quarter. Kobe Bryant is the 31st to do it and 17th to do it with one franchise.
The explanation from one Knicks official was that the team does not recognize the accomplishments of opposing players.
Kobe Bryant downplayed the situation and said he was not expecting any acknowledgment.
Al's a pal again
Among the host of celebrities at the game - Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Marilu Henner, Q-Tip, Steve Schirripa and Rosie Perez - was Rev. Al Sharpton. This is notable because Sharpton in October threatened to boycott the Knicks and Madison Square Garden because of the comments Thomas made in his deposition in the Anucha Browne Sanders sexual harassment trial. Sharpton later backed off the boycott call after speaking with Thomas.
[More at www.newsday.com]
|
