Greg Oden: The Comeback

It hasn’t always been rough for Greg Oden, as a high school baller he dominated as he won countless awards and championships. After winning 3 state titles, HS player of the year and being chosen for the McDonald’s All American game it wasn’t a joke that Oden was deemed the next big thing. Everywhere you turned you kept hearing about this nice well spoken beast on the court named Greg Oden. When you saw him you would say is damn is he 45 years old but once you saw him play you knew he was a little bit different from the other players.

Riding the wave he chose to play for The Ohio State Buckeyes. With everyone in Ohio charged that we landed the number 1 prospect for the 2006 season the sky was the limit. Once he arrived to campus, Oden had an injury to his right wrist that slowed him down for a month or so and when he returned it caused him to do a lot of things with is left hand while playing. Even while not at 100% you saw the potential because the kid was shooting free throws, doing post moves and exc with his left hand while his right wrist was on the mend. The Buckeyes went on to be the runner-up in the NCAA tourney that year but it was an amazing feat for a team led by mainly freshmen and Oden was the sphere head of the operation. Oden went on to become a 1st team All American as a freshman.

After leaving his mark in the college game even though he only played one year he through his hat into the 2007 NBA Draft. Oden was picked 1st by the Portland Trail Blazers, hindsight 20/20 everyone will bash the Blazers for this pick but 95% of the GM’s at the time would’ve picked Oden first because on everyone’s scouting report they had this man as a can’t miss prospect. We all know they don’t grow competent 7 footers on trees and a lot of people had him lined up to become one of the next greats. I know I got a little long winded right there, my bad.

After being picked by the Blazers Oden couldn’t buy a bill of clean health his first year he missed due to knee surgery, he only got to play in a few summer league games. With his first year down the drain he trained and got himself ready for his 2nd year out of college but technically his rookie season in the NBA. He played 61 games in his rookie season and with limited minutes showed a lot of flashes on why he was the 1st pick of the draft. During the season he had a small bout with a knee chip but after finishing the season it seemed like ghost of Sam Bowie was behind the young big man. His 2nd year it seemed like the big man was ready to take a positive step after a solid rookie season and that’s when it all came crumbling down, he broke his leg and hasn’t been on the court since.

Because of the assortment of injuries Oden has endured he hasn’t played 2009-10 season. Oden has had 3 micro fracture surgeries and couple of other knee surgeries to clean up other problems. It has been 3 full seasons since we have seen the once projected future of big men on the court. Injuries can turn a sure-fire star into a guy you bump into on the street, which is sad especially in Oden’s case because you could see what everyone else saw in him his body just wouldn’t allow him to be what everyone pictured him to be.

Now that we are in present that has been rumblings that Oden is planning on a return to the NBA in the 2013-14 season and if nobody else is rooting for Mr. Oden I am. I feel he deserves to go out on his own terms because he didn’t make his body breakdown on him. If he can stay healthy he can at least be a serviceable big man in the league, hell Kwame Brown still collects a paycheck so I know Oden can do something positive if healthy. There are rumors that at least 4 teams are seeking out Oden’s services next season. Those teams are San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics.

It will always be room for Oden in the league he’s only 25 years old, 7 foot and has some skills. I’m happy he is eyeing a comeback but our whole life we will be wondering what could’ve been.  Good luck to Greg Oden hopefully he is able to make an impact for whatever team he chooses to sign for.