NBA: Greg Oden Will Assure that the Portland Trailblazers Win Over Fifty Games

The first thing I noticed about Greg Oden after being chosen by the Portland Trailblazers with the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft is that he's really, really, funny. Stuart Scott, the venerable ESPN analyst, asked Greg Oden why he was rubbing his hands together even though "everyone knew that he'd be the number 1 pick". Oden's response was that he came into the draft with a "bit of a cold" and was rubbing anti-bacterial lotion on his hands because he "didn't want to spread his germs to Commissioner Stern" when he shook Stern's hand.

That's funny! And, it just adds to the all ready mythical stories revolving around this twenty-year old basketball phenom. "Did you know Greg Oden wanted to be a dentist when he was younger?" "Did you know Greg Oden made sixteen straight free throws with his left-hand?"

We're all going to hear a lot more about Greg Oden between now and the beginning of the NBA season in late October, and all of it, almost everything you hear, will be true. Because Greg Oden, after accepting that Portland Trailblazer cap, is automatically the second best center in the NBA. Hands down. No doubt about it.

He's not at the level of Tim Duncan, yet, but you might find it hard to find a general manager or coach in the NBA who wouldn't take Oden over both Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming. As much as I love Shaquille, and me being a lover of the state of Louisiana how could I not, age has been wearing on the treads that are Shaquille's wheels for some time and I just can't believe he could dominate a true, polished center, like Oden the way he used too.

And, what about Yao? Well, Yao's always been a good player, but not a great player. Yao just doesn't have that killer instinct that all true NBA stars need. Oden is a player who made sixteen straight free-throws with his off-hand. That's right, sixteen! There are few players in the NBA who could do that much less seven-footers who weigh over two-hundred and fifty pounds and can run and pass like a guard.

That's Oden. He's a basketball player who isn't afraid of anybody or anything. He can run, pass, shoot (with both hands), and block shots with the best centers in the NBA. He played with his shooting hand hurt in the Big Ten last year and dominated. He dominated Florida in the NCAA championship game even though the rest of his team was dominated by Florida.

Most importantly, of course, is that he makes the Portland Trailblazers a major player in the Western Conference. That's right, a team that can run and play with the Suns, Mavericks, and Spurs. The 'Blazers add Oden to an all ready talented group of youngsters led by Jarret Jacks, LaMarcus Aldridge, Darius Miles and Brandon Roy. The 'Blazers went one step further during the draft by trading Zach Randolph for Channing Frye. Frye is another great young talent. All of this adds up to the 'Blazers being a very good team. Maybe a great team.

Its happy days again, Blazer-Fan. After adding the second best center in the NBA, expect your team to win no less than fifty games. That puts the Blazers in the thick of the championship race next NBA season.