Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Next week, Greg Oden is expected to name the team he’ll select in order to try to bring back an NBA career which seemed so promising when he was taken No. 1 in the 2007 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
It’s not surprising the Trail Blazers aren’t on that list. He broke the hearts of Trail Blazer fans. In return, the organization broke his heart. But there was no other way.
Oden will go down in history as one of the biggest disappointments for No. 1 draft choices. Not that it was his fault with his injury problems. But it just seems that destiny was never on his side and the pro career he so badly wanted just wasn’t going to happen. But he hasn’t given up. Various teams are expressing interest in signing Oden to see if he can make a comeback.
When they drafted him in 2007, the Trail Blazers may have thought back to the 1970s when they drafted Bill Walton, who would lead them to an NBA title. But he missed his entire first season after knee surgery, came back for two so-so seasons, but continued to have knee problems after that, forcing the Blazers to waive him March 2012.
He only played 82 career games, which is the equivalent of one entire NBA season. When he was healthy, Oden was capable of being an excellent scorer and rebounder. But it’s tough to be a dominant player inside when you’re not healthy enough to play most of the time. The team that signs Oden will be taking a major risk, since they can’t expect him to last long.
