Greg Oden entered the basketball world with immense expectations. Known for his exceptional balance of offense and defense, the Portland Trail Blazers selected him as the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, ahead of future superstar Kevin Durant. Oden’s pre-NBA career was nothing short of stellar, making him the cover athlete for 2K Sports’ “College Hoops 2K8” and earning widespread acclaim as a generational talent.
During his high school years at Lawrence North, Oden led his team to three state championships in four years, earning 3x Parade All-American honors, 2x Gatorade State Player of the Year, and the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award. With 1,873 points, 1,058 rebounds, and 341 blocks, he established himself as one of the top prospects in the country.
Oden continued his dominance at Ohio State, averaging 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game in his lone college season. He guided the Buckeyes to a Big Ten tournament title and an NCAA championship game appearance. Despite falling short in the championship, Oden’s efforts earned him accolades like the NABC Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
However, Oden’s promising career was derailed by injuries. A knee surgery before his rookie season forced him to miss the entire year, and when he finally returned in the 2008-09 season, he played only 61 games, averaging 8.9 points and 7.0 rebounds. Subsequent injuries, including a fractured patella and another microfracture surgery, limited him to just 23 games over the next three seasons.
The Blazers eventually waived Oden, but he made a brief return with the Miami Heat in 2013-14, appearing in 23 games and averaging 2.9 points per game. After a short stint in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Jiangsu Dragons, where he averaged 13.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks, Oden retired from professional basketball.
Despite the setbacks, Oden stayed connected to the game, serving as a student manager at Ohio State and later as the director of basketball operations at Butler University since April 2022. Although his NBA career didn’t pan out as expected, Oden remains a significant figure in basketball history, remembered for his potential and the challenges he faced.
