Greg Oden Leaked Nude Photos Draw Attention (For One Big Reason)

If Greg Oden's career stays on the injury-laden path that it has been on since he was drafted in 2007, his claim to fame might eventually be his leaded nude photos scandal that erupted while he was recuperating from a broken kneecap in the 2009-2010 basketball season. Needless to say, those salacious details and concomitant nude photos are probably not quite the prominent details of an NBA career that he had envisioned for himself. And barring a more injuries that sideline him in the future, Greg Oden could go on to become one of the greatest players in Trailblazers and the NBA's history. But, until he recuperates and adds to his playing statistics, the 7-foot-tall center will have to deal with the nude photos issue as his claim to fame...

LALate tells us that there are three photos, two of which are quite revealing. Of course, if Greg Oden had stuck with the photo of himself taking a shot with blue shorts on, this would not be much of a story. As is shown in the New York Daily News in cropped form (two pictures of Oden from the navel up), it is what has been strategically cropped from the photos that makes Greg Oden's photos a story.

Oden held a press conference shortly after his photos hit the internet, apologizing to his team, his family, his friends. He claimed that he had sent the nude photos to a "lady friend" a year and a half ago.

WorldStarHipHop.com posted the leaked nude photos, saying that the dirty photos had been sent by Oden to a girl, who they did not name.

But some don't believe they were "leaked" by a scorned ex. Some believe that the nude photos might have been released as a publicity stunt. If true, it worked. Oden's protestations of embarrassment aside, the dirty photos have garnered considerable interest on the internet. But what would an NBA star want with publicity when they are constantly in the limelight? Some, like ex-NBA player Steven Marbury apparently just want a little more attention.

If that was Oden's intent, he certainly got it. If the posting of the dirty photos was a mistake or the act of a scorned "ladyfriend," he still got it.

And judging from most of the reactions to the nude photos across the blogosphere, even if Greg Oden were to never play another professional basketball game, he could probably pursue a lucrative career in adult entertainment.

Just sayin'.

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Sources:

LALate.com
NYDailyNews.com