Greg Oden Vs Kevin Durant: Who's Going to Be the Better Player?

The NBA Lottery is all set and the big winners are the Portland Trailblazers and the Seatle Supersonics. The Oden/Durant sweepstakes is the biggest in years. Both are expected to be franchise changing players. But which one is going to have a bigger impact?

Greg Oden has been described as a "man-child" ever since his first game at Ohio State. This kid is a physical specimen. He is strong, quick, and can jump out of the gym. He has all of the tools to be an NBA great. In high school, no player could stop him. At Ohio State, no one could guard him. Greg Oden has always had a great defensive game. There is no doubt that he will make an immediate impact on the defensive end. He is an excellent shot blocker and he can body up with anyone. Oden's offensive game is nothing to shake a stick at. It really shined during March Madness. Oden has a nice hook shot with some quick feet to match.

Kevin Durant was the best diaper dandy in the nation. He averaged 25.8 points per game and 11.1 rebounds a game in college. The Naismith winner, no one in the country could compare to Durant. Durant is 6 foot 9 inches tall with a 7 foot wingspan. He can play any position on the floor. Durant's game is a mix of Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady. He can take you outside and hit three's one minute, and then he will take you down low and punish you. The kid has tremendous athletic ability. This athleticism really helped him on the defensive end. He blocked all kinds of shots at the University of Texas.

Which one is going to be a better franchise player? Well, Oden will almost certainly go to Portland at number one. Oden is the less risky of the two because he has an NBA ready body. Durant needs to put on some muscle before he is really effective in the league. Durant will certainly go to Seatle at number 2. They think Rashard Lewis might walk and Kevin Durant would be great alongside Ray Allen.

Oden will probably have an immediate impact. Durant will have an impact but he will have a tough time on the defensive end because he still needs to mature. Personally, I think Oden is going to make the biggest impact in the long run. He was the best center at every level he has played. The only thing questionable is his passion. He only really showed us what Greg Oden can be in the Final Four.

The reason I like Oden is we don't see many centers like this come through. Finding a quality center in the NBA is tough. A lot of starting centers are just bodies out there, not making any huge impact on the game. There are a few, like Shaquile O'Neal and Yao Ming, but most are just tall bodies. Oden has the potential to be the next Bill Russell and you just can't pass up on that. There is no doubt that Durant will be a great player but can he win championships by himself? Doubtful. Most NBA championship teams have great big men. I am thinking the Shaq's, Duncan's, and Russell's of the world.

One thing is for sure, the NBA would have rather had the Boston Celtics win the lottery. The NBA has a tougher time marketing a franchise like the Portland Trailblazers. The Celtics are a team that everyone knows and that everyone knows needs help. The Celtics are the real losers here. No matter what, the NBA Draft should be a lot of fun to watch.