<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It's always dangerous to put labels on athletes before their time has come. Remember when LeBron James was being anointed as ''the next Michael Jordan,'' most likely by NBA marketing types? Maybe that'll work out. Maybe not. When Eric Lindros was ''the next Wayne Gretzky?'' Definitely not. When Tiger Woods was going to blow away all of Jack Nicklaus' achievements? Take that to the bank. But even when we're off the mark, we can't resist our quest for the next great star. That's part of the allure of sports, which tries to create unblemished canvases in an imperfect world. If ever there was an athlete who had a chance to deliver on sky-high hype, though, it's Ohio State center Greg Oden, the bearded 7-footer who brings his budding-legend status to Champaign to face Illinois on Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN, 560-AM). With the sixth-ranked Buckeyes coming up next, it's no wonder Bruce Weber was seething Wednesday at Michigan that his Illini seemed to be so uninterested in starting the Big Ten right. Like everyone else, Illinois figures to have its hands full with Oden, who won three straight state championships at Indianapolis Lawrence North High School. Compiling a prep record of 103-7, Oden's teams never lost a home game or a conference game. He's considered the most ballyhooed high school big man since Lew Alcindor (who became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) enrolled at UCLA. Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson took Oden back even one more generation this week, comparing him to former Boston Celtics great Bill Russell because of his defense and dedication to team-oriented little things -- and not because Russell, like Oden, favored facial hair. ''Had he scored 11 points, he still has a chance to be the best player on the floor,'' Sampson said, calling Oden's career-high 21 points a bonus in Ohio State's 74-67 victory over Indiana on Tuesday. ''When I see Oden, I don't see a great scorer. I see a great player. He does so many things. He's a lot more like Bill Russell than Shaq or Wilt Chamberlain. He's a winner. He's so smart.'' Smart enough, and talented enough, to block two straight shots right after picking up his third foul with 14 minutes left -- when the Hoosiers were gunning for a fourth foul. Smart enough, and talented enough, to go 9-for-10 from the free-throw line left-handed against the Hoosiers. Oden still doesn't have full use of his right wrist, which needed surgery to repair a ligament injury last June. ''There aren't a lot of people that could do that,'' Ohio State coach Thad Matta said, adding that Oden got fed up with his 19-for-39 season totals from the line and cranked up his practice effort. ''That shows the dedication. He was 4-for-10 [against Coppin State] the other day. He was upset about that.'' What's more, Oden is shaping up as a winner off the court. That could change, of course, because just as sure as we like to build up heroes, we like to tear them down -- and they often provide the opportunity. Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson are cases in point. Even Jordan's gambling became an issue. With Oden, who really does seem Russell-like in his all-around appeal, an off-the court stumble would be even more surprising than a setback on the court. ''This sounds crazy, but I appreciate who he is as a person,'' Matta said when asked what he appreciates most about Oden. ''But on the court, it's his willingness to do whatever he can to help our team win.'' At this point, Oden seems too good to be true -- on and off the court. A true student-athlete, he has declared a business administration major, even though everyone assumes he'll be NBA-bound after this season. ''If he went down with an ACL injury today and didn't play another college minute, he'd be the first player taken in June,'' a draft analyst said, adding that Oden, who enjoys college life, could end up spending another year in Columbus. An NBA fortune, and all that it would do for his family and others, might alter that thought the way Oden alters opposing shots. His mother, Zoe, who has been divorced from his father for 10 years, and younger brother, Anthony, are not in dire straits. But that decision will be made when the time comes. ''We've never spoken about it,'' Matta said. ''When the time's right, we will. And we'll always support him in his decision. But Greg's unique. Unlike most kids, he enjoys school. He has a very high GPA and is very dedicated to his schoolwork. Where he goes at the end of this season, who knows?''</div> Source
