Kobe Bryant: Andrew Bynum ‘Has Ambition to Be Great’

The Lakers dynamic duo dominated the Houston Rockets last night — Bryant scored 37 points, Bynum notched the first 20/20 of his career — and Kobe was highly complimentary of young Andrew following the game. From the OC Register: “We all know the amount of talent that he has, and he’s really worked on it,’ Bryant said after Bynum’s 21-point, 22-rebound effort Tuesday night against Houston. ‘The thing that I like about him is that he has an engine inside of him and he wants to do well. He wants to dominate. He has ambition to be great. I think that’s the biggest positive about him aside from all of the physical attributes.’ For his part, Gasol smiled when Bynum snatched a rebound away from him late in the game. (Gasol had 14 points and eight rebounds.) ‘It’s not just tonight, but the way he’s played these three games,’ Gasol said. ‘He’s been really aggressive and really decisive and just pursuing every ball, pretty much. I’m glad to see him with this level of intensity and energy and desire, because it takes desire and will.’ Bynum’s averages through three games: 22.7 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks in 33 minutes. He still hasn’t gotten his conditioning where he wants it for all he is asked to do at both ends in Mike Brown’s systems, but Brown said if Bynum’s conditioning did get to a ‘great’ level, then: ‘Oh, my gosh …'”