Greg Oden: Another Heart-Breaking Pick, or Still-Destined for Greatness Player?

Greg Oden, the number 1 pick of the 2007 NBA draft, is going to miss his rookie season due to knee surgery. The Portland Trail Blazers, who attained him out of his freshman year at Ohio State University, have gone through something very similar to this before. On draft day, 1984, the Trail Blazers picked, with the number 2 overall pick, Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan. As you all know, Michael Jordan went on to be the greatest player in NBA history to this day. But some of you might not have heard too much from Sam Bowie. Bowie played in Portland for four seasons, averaging 10.5 points, according to ESPN.com, but was plagued by injury and had surgery on his leg as many as five times. Bowie retired in 1995, after two more stints, with the New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. Some ask if Portland should have gone with Texas super star Kevin Durant, but the Trail Blazer organization stand by their decision. “If you could look in Oden’s eyes today, you will see that this kid is what we want, and I have no doubt he will be back. I always believe things happen for a reason, “ Portland’s general manager Kevin Pritchard said. “People need to realize: Oden will be back.” However, I cannot help but think if Oden’s future will prove to be as Bowie’s was, bleak and injury prone.

Being from Indianapolis, my high school played against Oden and Conley, and the rest of the Lawrence North Wildcats’ superstar team, winners of 3 straight Indiana state championships and one undefeated (29-0) season, a 24-2 season, and a 29-2 season. I had the opportunity to speak with him, after a game against us, about what he was going to do after high school (at this point he had not decided where to go), and he is one of the nicest, well-spoken basketball players I’ve talked to. He wasn’t cocky, he wasn’t ignoring those who wanted to speak to him. This is one reason, I believe, that he will be able to continue on in Portland, despite a rookie season ending surgery. For the roughly 4 years I’ve known him, everything he believed he could do, he HAS done. So why should this be any different? Why should sitting out one season, strengthening himself, put doubt over him whether he will be able to play at his potential? I believe that he will come back next season and be just as good, if not better, than he was in the pre season this year. If you disagree, that’s your problem, but you watch and see, then you’ll feel like an idiot when he’s helping to lead the Portland Trail Blazers into the playoffs, and at some point, possibly and NBA Championship.