The Greg Oden Watch "OFFICIAL" Thread...

[video=youtube;gpuAeIEXoAc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpuAeIEXoAc[/video]

 

Oden was an outstanding talent coming out of Ohio State. He was dominant in the NCAA tournament like few players have ever been. With little talent to support him (Mike Conley was about it), he helped the Buckeyes go toe-to-toe with a Florida team that was one of the most talented in a decade. When the Blazers got the #1 pick in that draft, I agreed with choosing Oden, even though I really liked what I saw out of Durant at Texas.

I was at the game when Oden went down with his last(?) knee injury. He had put together consecutive games of playing great defense and decent offense, and was showing signs of becoming the player the Blazers thought they'd drafted. It looked like the Big 3 of Roy, Oden, and Aldridge (in that order!) was really falling into place. When Oden fell and was lying in a twisted pile of pain on the Rose Garden floor, it was the quietest I'd ever heard that arena.

I do wish Greg well. And while I wish any success he winds up having could've been with Portland, I understand that sometimes, things don't work out. He's been through enough that a little success - enough to salvage a bit of his reputation and maybe even give him something of a legacy - would be fine by me.

 

DaQuan Cook, too, who is still in the league. It's not like this was Danny Manning and a bunch of scrubs. Conley Jr. is in Team USA camp this year.

 

Haha, I can't believe some of you still have faith that this guy can put it together.

He's a flat out bum if I've ever seen one.

 

Hell, not to mention David Lighty, Othello Hunter, and Ivan Harris. That team was stacked.

Looking at Oden's statistics as a baseline are not the best way to look at his collegiate dominance though.

Not only do some of ya'll need to realize that he was only a freshman, but on the NCAA level, 15.7, 9.6 rpg, and 3.3 bpg is a ridiculous line when you consider that he played in the slow-paced, possession oriented Big 10. Those numbers translated to a 48 minute, fast paced game like the NBA would look a lot more like 20+/12+.

(EDIT: One of his "worst" statistical games was against Wisconsin, where he only had 11 pts, 5 rbs, and 4 blks. However, Ohio State won the game by scoring only 49 points, and Wisconsin was also the #2 team in the country at the team. Seeing how low scoring these games were and the quality of opponents he was playing during those "off nights" on paper, you can see how those were far from "off nights" in reality.)

People also forget that he had hurt his right wrist at the start of the season. Yeah, he only missed seven games, but when he came back, he couldn't shoot with his right hand. The guy had to learn how to play with his left, and guess what... he was still just as dominant as a lefty.

Not to mention, you have to understand that Greg Oden was one of those players that was so capable of dominating that teams would have to change their entire long-standing offense and defense schemes just to prepare for this one player. Teams that would normally play inside-out became jump shooting teams, teams that played match-up zones would put two or three bigs on Oden, etc., and he still controlled the game.

I've watched Big 10 basketball my whole life, and I don't think I've ever seen a player more dominant than Greg Oden in Big 10 play, and that's coming from someone who watches at least 50-60 Big 10 games a year, every year, starting in the late 90's.

 

Damaged goods.

When you have that many knee injuries and you've been overweight and out of game shape for 4 years its against all odds that he'll be able to even get on the court, much less produce. You guys think Meyers looks lost? Wait til Oden gets on the court on washed up legs.

 

I only go to a few games a year but I was also at that one. I'll never forget the sad groan of the crowd when the stretcher was brought out, pretty freaking rare to see in an NBA game. I also wish the best for Oden.

 

It's funny: Greg's competition at this stage is likely to be another ex-Blazer: Marcus Camby. Practically all the same teams that are possibly interested in him are also looking at Camby (New Orleans being the exception).

I'd like to see Greg go to the Spurs. I think they'd use him sensibly. I don't actually think he'd sniff the floor much for Miami - they've gone away from any kind of pivot. I seriously hope he manages to have some semblance of a career. And when he's at his peak, he announces that he needs to pay back the fans of Portland and comes back to us to lead us to a championship!!!!!!!

 

What's really sad was that Greg was just starting to figure it out when he went down for the last time. Before then he was pretty much victimized by the refs.

 

Either there are no good restaurants in Indy or Spoelstra/Oden have very poor taste.

 

I am so unhappy about this.

Oden will probably come back and destroy the league, making us the laughing stock........AGAIN

 

I do realize it can take some folks a few years to mature mentally. He was what, 19, when he came to Portland? If he's finally grown up enough to take life seriously, great. He'll need it. But physically? The teams are signing him for 6 fouls against Dwight Howard. He's not going to dominate anyone. Frankly, this is less Grant Hill reviving a career than Brandon Roy signing with Minnesota, hoping against hope that he still has something left. And Roy had played the year before, was far more mature, and had enough years playing in the NBA to acquire veteran savvy. He still couldn't make it. His body just wasn't there. If you're 7' tall and have a pulse, someone in the NBA will give you a shot. I still think Oden should pursue dentistry.

 

I don't think any of us seriously believe he'll dominate. In fact, do any of us seriously think he'll last the season without injury/permanent retirement?

 

If I had to guess, I'd say a few games And then "knee swelling"

 

Knowing Blazer luck, he'll be pretty good and injury free for right more years. I do think he can offer a team done good effort first as a backup and then as a starter in a year or two. I'm feeling grumpy today but I bet he'll start 50 games in 2015.

 

If GO can stay healthy, he'll be an all-star because he's an absolute beast.

He was an effective player for us, who never actually played a game as a Blazer in complete basketball condition. When he split his kneecap against Houston, he was still rounding into shape. We never saw the GO that he can be. If he ends up on the Heat, Riley will get him in great condition (I know it's Spoelstra, but Riley really runs the show). Brian Grant played at 15-20 lbs under what he was here, and it wasn't muscle loss.

Fuck, it still stings. I feel robbed--not just as a Blazer fan, but as a fan of the sport of basketball--that I never got to see what a Roy-GO-LA combination could do at 100% after gaining on-court chemistry. It would have been something to see.

 

Repped.

 

He's not Kwame Brown. His body betrayed him. He wasn't perfect, but he's hardly a bum (although if he joins the L*kers, he, of course, will immediately become a "bum" and much worse).