I Wouldn't Draft Greg Oden
This season we seemed to have two possible number one picks pegged going into the NCAA Tournament, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. After watching the first two weeks of the NCAA Draft I can tell you this much, there is no way I'd pick Greg Oden.
One of the most exciting games of this NCAA Tournament came when Ohio State faced off against cross state rival Xavier. Xavier punched the number one seeded Buckeyes in the mouth and looked like they were going to upset the Buckeyes. It seemed even more likely when the Buckeyes star player, Greg Oden, fouled out. Somehow the Buckeyes got one last chance and Ron Lewis drained a three pointer to send the game into overtime. The Buckeyes had new life; they still had a shot at the championship. Greg Oden stood up and clapped, but it wasn't one of those "this is great!" claps, it wasn't a "I'm so excited clap!" it was more like a "I could really care less what is happening but I know I'm supposed to clap for my team so I'll clap."
In the overtime, Greg Oden sat on the bench and while his other teammates were standing and cheering on Michael Conley Jr., Greg Oden just sat there, bored out of his mind.
In the next round against Tennessee Greg Oden was just as lethargic as he was in the previous round. Greg Oden was lazy, got in foul trouble and was never a factor in the entire game. How can a guy who is like eleven and half feet tall manage to not be a factor? Greg Oden acts as if he doesn't care about a Championship, the school, or his teammates. Greg Oden looks a guy who is just waiting for his name to be called in the NBA Draft. Next round I expect Greg Oden will probably check his watch in the middle of the game and say to the guy next to him "isn't this game over yet?"
Obviously Greg Oden is huge and that can be very helpful in the NBA but I'm not about to draft a guy with that kind of attitude. If he doesn't care about a NCAA Championship, his team, or his teammates then who is to say it won't be the same way in the NBA? Give me a guy like Joakim Noah or Al Horford who desires to win so badly that they stomped everyone who got in their way. Then they passed up NBA money to come back and do it again. Give me a guy like Kevin Durant who after being eliminated admitted that it was his fault and said "this isn't how I want my college career to end." Give me someone who is passionate, someone who doesn't disappear during the big game, and somebody who I can count on to give 100 percent. You can have Greg Oden.
Published by Lee Andrew Henderson
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6 Comments
Post a CommentI had to stop in and tell you that you really called this one. Oden has been a huge flop so far.
Oden is going to be a monster in Portland, just wait and see.Just look at the choices of centers in the NBA right now,Yah he's going to pick up cheap fouls and make mistakes but all the young ones do.
I forgot to mention his attitude is very similar to Tim Duncan btw.
Did you even see the NCAA final game?. If it wasn't for Oden the game would've been over by halftime, not that it matter because they loss anyways but he was great, I don't know his numbers on that game but the guy single handedly outplayed the whole Gators front line in that game. He's going to be great by his 3rd year in the NBA he will be as good as Tim Duncan was on his 3rd season probably better. I will get Oden at #1.
I don't think Noah would have gone #1 with Toronto although it could have been possible. Chicago wanted a power forward. I think he would have slipped to Portland at #4 but we will never know. I do think that Oden is underrated when judged on his tournament play alone.
Did you ever watch Yao Ming play in his first season in the NBA? He always seemed out of the game and in foul trouble and rarely was a major catalyst. But he got better each and every season. Greg Oden is only 18 and he has the body of a NBA center in his prime. He plays good hard defense and rebounds the ball. The other stuff will come with time. Teams would be crazy not to draft him.