Oden out for season

[Xman95]

Oden done for the year. (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5819493)

So this guy hasn't played a complete season since high school. I bet the Blazers are thrilled they took him over a future Hall of Famer (Kevin Durant). At the time I thought it was an absurd choice, without injuries even being a factor. Now, it makes the pick look even worse. Durant was an absolute beast and should have been viewed as a "Must Get" like LBJ, Carmelo, etc. Oden was a solid player who just happened to be 7'0" tall.

[Masterofreality]

Oden done for the year. (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5819493)

So this guy hasn't played a complete season since high school. I bet the Blazers are thrilled they took him over a future Hall of Famer (Kevin Durant). At the time I thought it was an absurd choice, without injuries even being a factor. Now, it makes the pick look even worse. Durant was an absolute beast and should have been viewed as a "Must Get" like LBJ, Carmelo, etc. Oden was a solid player who just happened to be 7'0" tall.

Hmmm. Read Sam Bowie (also selected by Portland) vs Michael Jordan. 1984 Draft.

[SixFig]

I saw this last night...which led to my worst recurring nightmare...the Justin Cage push.

I woke up sweating and in tears.

[Xman95]

I woke up sweating and in tears.

So did Andy Dufresne, but for completely different reasons. Consider yourself lucky!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CRJ9Bbd3I4Q/SD8a_X-IrvI/AAAAAAAAACk/CD88kAVRIXI/s320/shawshankredemption_3.jpg

[Xman95]

Hmmm. Read Sam Bowie (also selected by Portland) vs Michael Jordan. 1984 Draft.

Next time Portland has a Top 3 pick, maybe the NBA should just do them a favor and take it away.

[CinciX12]

I always say I never would wish another player other than a Dayton player physical harm. So I really do feel bad for Greg Oden and wish him well.

But I have a strong feeling Justin Cage was watching Sportscenter tonight and flipped off the television and lit up a celebratory cigar.

[gladdenguy]

I don't care if Oden is so polite blah blah blah.
I hate that piece of sh#(. Serves him right.
Ugly 56 year old piece of dung.
Just hang em up you bum.

[DoubleD86]

I don't like Oden, but I think Mike Decourcey had some great points via twitter on why this is NOT another Bowie over Jordan situation. Oden was most definitely more than a "solid player who just happened to be 7'0" he was a dominant player in every level he played. Mostly because of him, they made it to the National Championship that year.

Yes Durant is great, yes it is obvious now that he would have been a better player. However, a dominant big man like Oden could have been is nearly impossible to find. You won't find another Durant for sure, but I think the league average wing is a better player than a wing average center. I would rather have a dominant big man and an average wing then the other way around.

I also agree with some people on twitter, and I believe this was also Decourcey, that Oden (and many others like him) should not be considered busts. To me, an injury derailed career is not a bust in my mind. It is a waste of a pick for sure, but bust to me means someone who never lives up to the hype/expectations through their own play, not because they couldn't get on the court.

[smileyy]

Even before injuries, Greg Oden moved like an old man -- Simmons compared his awkward gait to the smoothness with which you see the typical NBA player move.

I get the fascination with centers, but there's been a lot of busts compared to successes. Maybe the centers are just the higher profile ones, though.

[xu05usmc]

I think one thing with Oden that cannot be overlooked is how well he has played when has been healthy. Other than foul problems he really was a fantastic NBA player. Anyone who watched him, objectively at least, could see the potential and overall skill which made him the consensus #1 pick over Durant.

Now who is to say that Oden can't pull off a Bill Walton like career, where he gets two years where he is relatively healthy, wins an MVP and a title, and then eventually moves into a limited role off the bench somewhere?

The reason you can't really write off Oden yet is because he really hasn't suffered the same injury multiple times (which was the case for guys like Bowie and Yao). He has had injuries to both knees and to his wrist, and most of those injuries were due mostly to bad luck rather than a fragile frame. Microfacture is no longer the death sentence it was for Chris Webber or Penny Hardaway. Amar'e Stoudemire has returned, gotten better, and really hasn't lost his explosiveness. Kenyon Martin was also capable of being a high caliber NBA player after microfacture on both knees.

Simply put, I don't think you can close the door on Oden just yet, despite what many of your personal feelings may be towards the guy.

[kyxu]

The reason you can't really write off Oden yet is because he really hasn't suffered the same injury multiple times (which was the case for guys like Bowie and Yao). He has had injuries to both knees and to his wrist, and most of those injuries were due mostly to bad luck rather than a fragile frame. Microfacture is no longer the death sentence it was for Chris Webber or Penny Hardaway. Amar'e Stoudemire has returned, gotten better, and really hasn't lost his explosiveness. Kenyon Martin was also capable of being a high caliber NBA player after microfacture on both knees.


Didn't Xavier's Amber Harris have a microfracture in her knee two seasons ago? She came back to win A-10 POY last year.

As for Oden, I don't like him for the Cage Push, but he has amazing ability.

[DoubleD86]

I think one thing with Oden that cannot be overlooked is how well he has played when has been healthy. Other than foul problems he really was a fantastic NBA player. Anyone who watched him, objectively at least, could see the potential and overall skill which made him the consensus #1 pick over Durant.

Now who is to say that Oden can't pull off a Bill Walton like career, where he gets two years where he is relatively healthy, wins an MVP and a title, and then eventually moves into a limited role off the bench somewhere?

The reason you can't really write off Oden yet is because he really hasn't suffered the same injury multiple times (which was the case for guys like Bowie and Yao). He has had injuries to both knees and to his wrist, and most of those injuries were due mostly to bad luck rather than a fragile frame. Microfacture is no longer the death sentence it was for Chris Webber or Penny Hardaway. Amar'e Stoudemire has returned, gotten better, and really hasn't lost his explosiveness. Kenyon Martin was also capable of being a high caliber NBA player after microfacture on both knees.

Simply put, I don't think you can close the door on Oden just yet, despite what many of your personal feelings may be towards the guy.

What he said (put so much better than when I tried)!