NBA Draft 2007: Why Greg Oden is a Better Top Pick Than Kevin Durant

This upcoming NBA Draft on June 28, 2007, will be an interesting one because there are two players that are head and shoulders above the rest of the draft class. Greg Oden from Ohio State and Kevin Durant from the University of Texas are widely regarded by basketball experts and fans as the top two players.

This is an unusual situation. I can't remember the last time there were two players that had the first two spots locked up. Usually there is a clear cut top pick like Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'neal, and Lebron James or the draft class is weak and there are many people who could be the top pick. With Oden and Durant being the consensus top two picks, it the begs the question: "Who would you pick?"

This question is an intriguing one because Oden and Durant play different positions. Oden is one of the best defensive centers to ever play in the NCAA while Durant is a versatile 6-9 forward who can score from anywhere on the court.

I think both players will have great seasons in the NBA. Both players will take their respective teams to the next level. But if I was the general manager of the Portland Trailblazers, the team with the first pick, I would draft Greg Oden. Here is my main reason why Oden is a better first pick than Durant.

Historically, most NBA championship teams have had a great big man.

Unless you have a guy named Michael Jordan (the greatest player ever) on your team, your team will not have a good chance of winning the championship.

Think about the dominant teams in NBA history. The vast majority of them have had great frontlines.

The early Celtics championship teams had Bill Russell patrolling the paint. The Showtime Lakers had Magic Johnson, but don't forget that their center was Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Larry Bird led the Celtics to three championships while playing with two great big men, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. Hakeem Olajuwon, a great center, won two straight championships with the Houston Rockets. And in the last ten years, Shaquille O'neal and Tim Duncan have won four titles each.

So, while Durant will definitely make a huge impact in the NBA, historically the quickest and most reliable way to win an NBA title is by acquiring a dominant center or power forward. This is why I would draft Greg Oden with the first pick.