Andrew Bynum: Was Apology to J.J. Barea Forced or Sincere?

LA Lakers Center Andrew Bynum Finally Apologizes to Dallas Mavericks Guard JJ Berea

The LA Lakers were a classless bunch of quitters in Sunday's trouncing. Andrew Bynum, the 7-0 center, led the way with a horrendous forearm to the face of tiny point guard JJ Berea as he went up for a layup. Bynum was immediately ejected from the game and he ripped his shirt off as he exited American Airlines arena?WWE style.

After the game he didn't make it sound like the foul was a big deal at all. He offered no apology to Berea or to the Lakers franchise.

Tuesday he had a different tone:

My actions ... don't represent me, my upbringing, this franchise or any of the Laker fans out there that want to watch us and want us to succeed. Furthermore, and more importantly, I want to actually apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I'm just glad that he wasn't seriously injured in the event and all I can say is, I've looked at [the replay], it's terrible and it definitely won't be happening again.

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I like that he said in the apology, but it doesn't change the fact it took him almost 48 hours to acknowledge what he did. Bynum could have said something right after the game.

But no, I can almost guarantee you it was his agent and other people involved with the "Bynum brand" that forced him to say sorry. After such a vicious foul, not apologizing could do some serious damage to his image and his advertising dollars.

This was a total P.R. move and his apology was completely forced. It's likely that he didn't even write the statement.

The 23-year old Bynum still has a lot of maturing to do.

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