Typical Oden choke at the buzzer
 

Why wait?

For the record, I predicted this thread. ;)

Interesting comparision.

For some reason, I find myself really rooting for Oden. Normally, when someone comes out as the Golden Boy, there is a part of me that likes to see them stumble and take their lumps (or, depending on how obnoxious they are, I might want to see them outright fail). This, I imagine, is mostly jealousy on my part.

But, with Oden, I really want him to succeed. It's either because he's actually honest or possibly because he's the best liar that I have seen, but I think he means it when he says that he would be happy as a dentist or an accountant and that he's just a basketball player because he happens to be 7 feet tall.

Basically, Oden makes me think of how I would be if my body were a once in a lifetime freak of nature.

I wonder if he will get the same pressure/heat as LeBron.

I know what you mean. He comes off as if he's got the maturity of someone as old as he looks.

NBA Draft.net compares him to David Robinson.

Here are a few of David's numbers over his first 4 years

89-90 24.3 PPG 12.0 RPG 3.9 BPG
90-91 25.6 PPG 13.0 RPG 3.9 BPG
91-92 23.2 PPG 12.2 RPG 4.5 BPG
92-93 23.4 PPG 11.7 RPG 3.2 BPG

He was Rookie of the Year, an All Star all four years, All Defense all four years (twice 1st team, twice 2nd team), and finally All-NBA all four years (twice 1st team, twice 3rd team). Oh yeah his team made the playoffs all 4 years winning the division twice.


There is the standard Greg should you choose to accept it.:rolleyes:

BTW I expect Greg Oden to be a tremendous NBA player.

For some reason, this quote reminds me of Herschel Walker's interest in being an FBI agent.

(It's also why I'd pick Durant over Oden if I were a GM in that position)

Interesting you mention Robinson. I would have never really compared the two because I didn't see Oden being as athletic as Robinson was, but Chad Ford had an article on his workouts on ESPN.com and he said his vertical and other workout numbers were very similar to Tyrus Thomas, who was drafted #4 last year based soley on his athleticism.

Based on those workouts he said GMs now think that he's not only the safest pick, but has higher upside than Durant or anyone else in the draft.

Which means he has no excuses. NBA Title and 1st team all-nba as a rookie or he's the next Shawn Bradley.

I'm rooting for Oden to do well because the NBA needs some talented bigmen, and Oden is the best prospect in about a decade.

Yeah, I'd go with Oden. Even if he flops, he's pretty much been talked about as the top pick since well before this draft was even on the horizon. Durant had one good year and everyone wants him to be king. We've seen that all before. I think he's still a can't miss player either way. But if you have the #1 pick...I say it's Oden or trade down for a king's ransom.

I like that he's humble and seems to have good people around him. Even LeBron seems to lack that.

At least you admit it. Most people won't.

Now that he's going to Portland should be base our expectations on titles won or felonies?

I'm just eagerly wondering who breeds the better fighting dogs, Michael Vick, Qyntell Woods, or Greg Oden?

The Blazers are going to cut the fat now that they've got the #1 pick. With Brandon Roy and Greg Oden as their cornerstones, I feel that they will be able to turn the team's image around and start trading away the headcases.

Seemed like Oden was in foul trouble all the time in the NCAA tourney. I wonder how many minutes he will average next year. I'd put the over/under at 25.

That's cause NCAA refs like to call touch fouls. He may be foul prone his first half season, but the NBA has superstar rules, like them or not, and he's not going to pick up cheap fouls like he did in college.

Pfft - he probably won't even make the cut at the John Deere PGA tournament this weekend.

Not only are there superstar rules, there are superstar big man rules.

I feel that people will be rooting for Oden. Something about him makes him much more likeable than someone like Lebron who I feel comes across as cocky and a lot of people don't like him because of it.

Tell that to the refs who try their best to foul Yao Ming out...

Sorry, that should have read:

"Not only are there superstar rules, there are superstar thick man rules."

I met this kid in a bowling alley a couple of years ago. What stuck out to me was how he handled himself and how he was dressed. He seemed embarrassed when I approached him asking for an autograph and just some every day chit-chat.

What's really funny is seeing a dude 7 feet tall hanging out with a girl that is 5'3.

His hands are massive.

I think he'll be a very good pro, and he seems like a decent chap. I'll be rooting for him to succeed.