What Happened to Andrew Bynum's NBA Career and Where Is He Now?

I remember watching Andrew Bynum during his peak years with the Lakers and thinking he was destined for basketball immortality. Standing at 7 feet tall with incredible footwork and soft hands, he represented everything teams look for in a modern center. His career trajectory reminds me of how quickly things can change in professional sports - much like that volleyball match where Angel Canino and Alyssa Solomon had to erase an early 8-13 first-set deficit with a commanding 12-3 blitz. Bynum's own career featured similar dramatic swings, though unfortunately for him, the recovery never quite stuck.

When I analyze Bynum's early years, the numbers still jump off the page. Drafted straight from high school as the 10th overall pick in 2005, he became the youngest player ever to appear in an NBA game at 18 years and 6 days. I've always been fascinated by prodigies who enter the league young, and Bynum's development under Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant was remarkable to witness firsthand. His 2009-2010 season was particularly special - averaging 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 57% from the field. Those aren't just good numbers for a 22-year-old - they're All-Star caliber production that earned him his first and only All-Star selection in 2012.

The knee injuries really became the turning point, and this is where I feel teams could have handled his situation better. Bynum underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in 2008, then had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in 2010. The medical staff I've spoken with over the years often point to his 2011 surgery as particularly damaging - the controversial "non-invasive" procedure in Germany that many experts questioned from the start. What many fans don't realize is that by the time he was traded to Philadelphia in 2012, his knees had essentially become bone-on-bone, making every game a painful ordeal.

His brief stint with the 76ers perfectly illustrates how quickly things unraveled. Philadelphia gave up All-Star Andre Iguodala to acquire Bynum, expecting him to be their franchise cornerstone. Instead, he never played a single minute for them due to bilateral bone bruises and weakened cartilage in both knees. I remember speaking with team insiders who described his rehabilitation attempts as increasingly half-hearted - the fire seemed to have gone out once the physical limitations became permanent.

The Cleveland and Indiana chapters were even sadder to watch unfold. The Cavaliers signed him to a partially guaranteed $24 million contract in 2013, only to suspend him for "conduct detrimental to the team" after just 24 games. His bowling incident during rehab sessions became symbolic of his fading commitment. Then Indiana traded for him, hoping he could provide depth during their playoff run, but he appeared in just two games before being sidelined again. At this point, watching him move on court was painful - he'd lost the mobility that made him special.

Where is Andrew Bynum now? From what I've gathered through league connections, he's been living a relatively quiet life in New Jersey, apparently involved in local basketball clinics while maintaining distance from the NBA spotlight. Financial reports indicate he earned over $70 million during his career, which should provide comfortable security. I've heard he's taken up bowling seriously - ironic given how that hobby became part of his downfall narrative - and occasionally works with youth basketball programs.

What strikes me most about Bynum's story is how it represents the physical toll the game takes on big men. At his absolute peak in 2012, he was arguably the second-best center in the league behind Dwight Howard, putting up 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. The Lakers organization invested heavily in his development, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar working personally with him on post moves. Yet all that potential evaporated not because of lack of skill or work ethic initially, but because the human body, particularly for players over seven feet tall, can only withstand so much punishment.

I often wonder how different things might have been with modern load management and advanced sports science. Today's teams would likely have been more cautious with his minutes and rehabilitation protocols. The NBA's shift toward perimeter-oriented basketball might have actually extended his career, as he wouldn't have needed to battle in the post as frequently. His shooting touch - remember, he attempted 8 three-pointers in one game during his final season - suggested he could have adapted to the modern game if healthy.

Looking back, Bynum's career serves as both cautionary tale and reminder of basketball's physical realities. Like that volleyball match where players had to mount a dramatic comeback, Bynum showed flashes of recovery but couldn't sustain the momentum. His story continues to resonate with me because it embodies how quickly careers can change direction in professional sports - from championship celebrations to medical tables, from All-Star appearances to indefinite suspensions. The Andrew Bynum that exists in basketball memory is really two players: the dominant force he was and the player he might have become, separated only by a few crucial inches of cartilage and the relentless passage of time.