Bynum's Break Out

I saw this on True Hoop:

His mentor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, tells NBA.com's John Hareas that Bynum could always play, but this year he gained confidence:

It really had to do with the fact that all of a sudden he had confidence in what he could do. He had the ability to do the things he was doing probably as much as a year earlier, but he didn't have confidence.

He didn't want to embarrass himself. That kind of set him back. He was kind of reticent to go out there and play the way he can play.

But all of a sudden he saw that things were working for him, he got a little bit more aggressive and kept getting better and better results.

If you hear David Thorpe tell it, this could be a common story.

He believes there are many players in the NBA who -- more than simply adding skills, or working harder -- really need loving support from their mentors, to gain the kind of confidence that unlocks their abilities.

Back in September, I wrote:

Andrew Bynum drew the wrath of Kobe during the summer, but for a kid who just turned 20, he is talented, big and long. Few people seem to value Bynum as highly as I do, but I do not see why people are so enthusiastic about Oden, at 19, versus Bynum at 20. If Bynum played for a coach and with players who believed in his ability, I would argue he is every bit as good as Oden, and probably a better offensive player right now. For a 3rd or 4th weapon, a legitimate seven-footer with good hands and athleticism is a nice problem to have. Sadly, Bynum does not even start.

The Lakers do not have enough to win the Western Conference this year, unless they build Bynum's confidence early in the season to establish him as the true third weapon and a dominant player on the inside, but they have enough to break into the power five and win at least one play-off series.

As for Thorpe's comment, it happens at every level. Very few coaches draw out an individual's peak performance because so many coaches are control freaks. Also, people learn to fear mistakes because we associate mistakes with and this develop a Fixed Mindset. Many people who succeed are those with a Growth Mindset who view mistakes as part of the learning process rather than an indictment of their talent.