Greg Oden - NBA Ready?

by **Wall St. Peon** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:53 am

Perhaps this should be in the college section, but with this guy in the spotlight, the tourney winding down, and the NBA playoffs and draft coming up...

I'll start off by saying I hate the guy. With that bias out of the way, let's talk shop.

Everyone's jocking this guy, saying he's NBA ready, that he'll be a star, and so on. I think he'll be more Yinka and less Amare when he gets to the league. Here's why.

- He's out of shape. He only plays 29 minutes a game in college against people that are supposed to be inferior to him, and he looks gassed after a few trips up and down the floor. Shawn Kemp during his coke frenzy moved up court better than this guy...

- He fouls on most blocked shots. He gets away with it in college, but that would be his one redeeming quality for me: defense. And it isn't as good as advertised. I live in Iowa, so I see a lot of Big 10 games (yuck!)

- Which brings me to the Big 10 conference. He's playing in a crappy conference. True, there isn't one bad team in the conference, but all of them are mediocre at best. He has no other centers to play against. If OSU was in the ACC or Big East or SEC, they'd still be good, but they'd be fifth or sixth at best in conference play. Oh, and my old college Iowa State (15-16 record) stayed with them at Ohio State...they lost in the end, but ISU's horrible.

- He's not even the best player on his team! Ron Lewis appears, to me, to be the most NBA ready player on the team, and he can play 30+ minutes a game (he only averaged 28 min for the season, but he's been playing 30+ the last 6 games). Lewis is a clutch player, a shooter, a slasher...he'll be a sleeper of a second round pick, or FA pickup. I digress...

- He isn't composed. His team is losing to Xavier, he has 4 fouls, a shot is missed, Xavier gets the rebound...and Oden checks the guy. Should have been an intentional foul, but it wasn't, and, no thanks to the "most NBA ready player" in the NCAA, OSU won (but great thanks to the refs). One instance that's fresh in my mind, but there's been a couple others.

A side note: last night in the Tennesee game, Oden had blood on his jersey and the refs let him play...I think he was actually bleeding...isn't the rule the same in college as pro? If a player's bleeding, they have to leave the court?

- His offense is decent, but he uses his arms to get position and not his body. He'll have a rude shock when NBA refs call him for hooking and what not.

Basically, Oden, to me (realistically), is probably a solid top 15 pick. You can't coach size, the guy IS talented, but he has no heart. He'll probably go at 1, especially if Durant stays, but he shouldn't. The entire Florida starting five should go before him, and I can name a bunch of guards that should as well. Hell, McRoberts from Duke should go before him. But that probably won't be the case.

Any thoughts? I'd prefer responses from people who have actually seen him play, as the media is VERY biased towards him and anything you read about him is slanted towards this notion that he's going to be amazing.

by **Matt** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:23 am

good to see ya around Shane.

As for Oden, he's probably not as NBA ready as advertised. At the end of the day, no matter what his deficiencies he's very talented, and if he applies himself correctly he'll make great strides.

So where does that put him? I doubt he'll make the same 1st year impact as Dwight Howard. I guess it'll depend on where he lands. I still see him as a top 2 pick, however, with some Eddy Curry risk involved.

by **ThaSpecialist** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 4:52 am

I think in terms of height/dimension .. sure, he's ready.

But he looks like another Greg Ostertag waiting to happen.

I know Greg played some years in college, but this guy is not going to figure out how to score in the NBA (other than dunking) anytime soon once he hits bodies with guys as big and quick (which isn't much) as he is.

Historically a lot of one-and-done (or HS to pro) players have gotten by on quickness.

This is the thing he lacks the most, that's going to eat him alive at the next level and make another Diop out of him.

I don't see the quickness and leaping ability to suggest he'll blossom into a Howard/Stoudamire at all.

by **Wall St. Peon** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 5:34 am

Yeah, I definitely agree. Oden isn't quick, and, like I've already says, he obviously doesn't have the work ethic to get in shape in regards to his cardiovascular fitness.

Greg Ostertag...another good analysis. Heh, we could have another Sam Bowie/MJ thing with Durant and Oden if Durant comes out. I don't know if you've seen Durant play, but once that kid grows into his body, he'll be amazing.

by **Christopherson** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 6:27 am

I think you guys are way off base. I think Oden will be a good pro. Probably even a great one. Have you ever watched him the post? He's got good moves, I think he'll be able to get shots off against anyone in the League. Defensively, he wont be a liability. As for his conditioning, I've watched him play a few games and I don't see how you could possibly argue he is in poor physical condition. To question his work ethic is also absurd. The man came back and played with a cast on his shooting hand. He had a broken wrist that still isn't fully healed. Hell, the only thing he was physically capable of for most of the season was soft dunks and left handed hooks. Cut the guy a break. I love how everyone is predicting this guy to flop all of the sudden. Right now, I would say the only knock on him is that he gets into foul trouble too easily. So did Yao when he first came into the league. Hell Shaq has always had problems with it. I think he should stay in school for 1-2 more years though. Players who are drafted this year are going to have some talented peers to be compared to. I think Oden will eventually be better than probably everyone in this year's draft other than Durant ( if he comes out), but I still think he would be better off staying.

by **Wall St. Peon** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 6:39 am

Yes, I've watched him play. All I see is OSU games, and the Big 10 sucks for basketball...it's boring to watch and the teams and players aren't very good. The tourney should have demonstrated that...there shouldn't be a Big 10 team left in the tourney right now.

I outlined my analysis, and I'm not the only one who thinks he'll be a bust.

He isn't even dominating COLLEGE. He has decent post moves, yes, but he uses his arms to get in position, not his body. He's too slow to guard big power forwards or athletic centers, and he doesn't have the endurance to play 40 minutes, which will be expected of him. The only reason everyone has a hard-on for him is because he's built and looks like a 35 year old and he's athletic. All he has for a post move is a spin and a dunk and a hook. I've never seen him do an up and under, nor have I seen a 15 foot jumper. He shoots free throws well, but they're flat...he does have a nice stroke from the line. His passing is uninspired.

Tyler Hansbrough has much better post moves, just as much potential, and he runs the floor and can play defense...he doesn't block shots, but he plays defense. We'll see what happens when those two actually face each other. I give the advantage to Hansbrough...it'll be Oden/Hansbrough 1 on 1 because OSU can't double him due to the talent around him.

As for Durant, have you ever seen a freshman dominate like that, especially when they're 115 pounds? I doubt it...he's Kevin Garnett with a 3 pt shot.

Durant should be the number 1 pick, but Oden will be because of his "potential." Here's how I look at it: we've seen Durant's game and talent, and he just needs to add muscle to get to the pro level. With that being said, isn't he a better pick? Hmm?

Oh, and Acie Law? He'll probably be another Dwayne Wade. Someone who surprises everyone at how good he is even though he stayed in school...another sleeper will be Rayshan Terry from UNC, and you can't forget the fella from Wisconsin, I can't remember his name, or Adam Haluska (20 ppg) from Iowa. There's quite a few seniors who could and should go high in the draft.

by **maes** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 6:59 am

I'd pick Durant.

I don't see Ostertag anywhere on this guy but the guy he does somewhat remind me of is Joe Smith. A guy who was smooth, but wasn't exactly explosive, and had excellent shot blocking ability.

Joe Smith, Maryland
19.4 ppg 10. rpg 3.1 bpg 52.2 FG%
Oden
15.4 ppg 9.5 rpb 3.4 bpg 60.8 FG%

But the comparisons to Robinson? Robinson's 1st year he actually played any minutes:
23.6 ppg 11.6 rpg 4.0 bpg 64.4 FG%

His later two years featured getting 5.9 bpg and scoring 28 ppg.

I think people forget just how good some these classic NBA players were back in their day.

by **Christopherson** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:04 am

I'd pick Durant first also. I think he is going to be one of the best players of a generation. As far as Oden goes, he's played half of a year of basketball. It's easier for a wing to dominate a game in college. Give him some damn time to develop. Did Tim Duncan dominate the college game as a freshman? Hell no.

Besides, you can't project a player's college performance to the NBA very well. Hell Adam Morrison dominated college. So did Reddick. They kick ass now don't they.

by **Indy** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:08 am

I'm a huge Buckeye fan, and I've been watching Greg play since he was a sophomore in high school, so I think I'm obliged to post in this thread.

First of all, while it may seem like Greg gets winded easily, that's part of the danger about him. He has that Marquis Daniels, Tracy McGrady type look like he's really apathetic and not really paying attention. He does look tired, but he really isn't. You'll see him looking like he's sort of just lounging on the weak side and someone will drive, thinking they can catch Greg off guard, and then boom, Greg will be there and block the shot. He's an extremely sneaky player.

You also may not be used to seeing this type of player. I don't know if you watched Patrick Ewing or David Robinson in college, but Greg plays exactly like both of those guys did at that level. He's a dominant Center that doesn't do anything Centers don't do. He's not a hybrid player like the majority of NBA players today. He's not going to step out and hit outside jumpers or catch the ball at the top of the key and go to the basket.

Greg is one of the best at blocking out his man I've ever seen play the game. If he doesn't get the rebound, someone else on the floor will. Its amazing how much better we rebound with him in the game. Whatever team he goes to is immidiately a better rebounding team.

We all know about his shotblocking ability, but he's a great man defender as well. I don't know where you get the notion that he fouls when he blocks shots. Yes he is a physical defender, but there is a reason that he only fouled out one time this season and its not because of the refs giving him slack. As a matter of fact, all year he has been grabbed, pushed, pulled every which way on the block, and he never gets any whistles off the ball. He gets fouled every single time he tries to establish position on the block, but he is way too strong for the refs to even notice. Watch him get entire front courts in to foul trouble in the NBA.

As for only playing 29 minutes a game, I don't get your argument here. He played most of the season one handed, and got limited minutes early, but 29 minutes a game is still more then Patrick Ewing played his freshman year. As a matter of fact, all of his stats are better then Ewing's were his first season. Once again, he did all of this on the season with only one healthy hand, his off hand. I cannot stress how amazing that is.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with this. Greg will go number 1 without a doubt in any NBA GM's mind, and that's because they see how special he is. You have to look below the surface. Oden will be a perrennial all-star.

EDIT: Come on maes, Joe Smith? Are you kidding me? Absolutely nothing in commong whatsoever. Did you ever watch Joe play in college? Not even close to the player Greg is.

by **beau_boy04** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:06 am

That's why he shouldn't jump to the NBA this year because if he does I think he'll averaged what Emeka Okafor's 2nd season numbers which are 13 ppg, 10 rpg, and 2 bpg. If he decides to stay another year in college and polish his game and develop an more aggressive game he'll be ready to average 20-10-3 in his first nba season.

by **cyanide** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:23 am

Mr. Shane wrote:Yeah, I definitely agree. Oden isn't quick

I don't follow Oden as much as some others, but after watching some YouTube highlights of him, he is very quick. His reaction time to swat blocks is uncanny, and I'd be hard-pressed to find other centers in the NBA that is quicker than Oden.

by **---** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:04 am

Oden being NBA ready is a tough one. He has played the whole season using his off hand and has still put up essentially double-double numbers along with over 3 blocks. Just remembr this, 3.4 blocks per game using your off hand on most of them is one tough feat. I'm no center but to me, blocking shots with my left hand is damn hard (just so you know I am actually pretty good with my left hand with everything else, so its not like I'm still learning how to lay it up using my off hand).

Oden, no matter how great Durant has been this season, should still go number one. If he has done this well while being hampered in the worst way (having your dominant hand ruled pretty much ineffective), then once he gets healthy and couples his size and athletic ability with polished post moves that he will learn in the NBA, then there is no way he should go second (not to mention the best part of his game - defence).

The truth is, centers with this much potential come round very rarely nowadays. Hell, good centers at all are rare. What I see in Greg Oden is a very high ceiling and a low risk of becoming a bust. Just think, the only things I see ever holding him back from becoming a dominant center are:

- Never developing good post moves
- Health (thats a risk involved with every draft pick anyway)

I just can't see how he couldn't go number 1 (unless a team with a great young center and a hole at the swingman spot grab the first pick) and have a great career in the NBA.

Wether or not he will be better than Durant remains to be seen. However, great centers are just so damn rare that even if he does end up being the worst of the 2 but still has a good career (20/10 at least), the pick was still the right one (if the team needed a center of course).

..he's Kevin Garnett with a 3 pt shot.

I said the exact same thing to a friend the other day. It really is scary to see how good he can become. Very good ballhandler for 6-9/10, great shooter, can score downlow with ease while being so weak and light, pretty quick, good shot blocker, good defender (honestly, he is), long range, etc

All he needs is muscle and he could really dominate.

Besides, you can't project a player's college performance to the NBA very well. Hell Adam Morrison dominated college. So did Reddick. They kick ass now don't they.

Remember it hasn't even been one season. Morrison hasn't been great but theres nodoubt he will still be adjusting, and JJ has actually done quite well during his increased minutes after being injured. I'm not saying either will be great players but IMO its way too early to rule them off as busts.

EDIT:

Greg is one of the best at blocking out his man I've ever seen play the game. If he doesn't get the rebound, someone else on the floor will. Its amazing how much better we rebound with him in the game. Whatever team he goes to is immidiately a better rebounding team.

I have the same feeling. I have never seen a player that active when boxing out his man in college (though I haven't been watchin college ball for that long). When I watch Ohio State I often find my self watching the guys off the ball, particularly Oden, especially when a shot goes up. I feel as though I could play with him and grab 10 boards a game :lol:

by **mvpshaq32** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:07 am

I'd pick Durant over Oden too. Durant's more confident in his game and has much longer range. Oden is pretty clumsy recieving passes and he rarely shows emotion during the games.

by **Wall St. Peon** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:23 am

Cyanide:

I don't follow Oden as much as some others, but after watching some YouTube highlights of him, he is very quick...I'd be hard-pressed to find other centers in the NBA that is quicker than Oden.

*sigh* Yes, because if Oden is in the NBA, he'd only be guarding centers like Dasagana Diop and Dikembe Mutumbo. If and when Oden goes to the NBA, he'd be expected to guard the other team's best post player...you know, Amare, Howard, Brand, Duncan, Garnett...players that aren't necessarily centers. Those players are much quicker than him. Tennessee's 6'10 white guy went around Oden last night...I'm talking lateral quickness and foot speed. The announcers even commented on it! Hell, Shaq's much quicker, even Yao. There's many players that are as quick or quicker...

Indy:

First of all, while it may seem like Greg gets winded easily, that's part of the danger about him. He has that Marquis Daniels, Tracy McGrady type look like he's really apathetic and not really paying attention. He does look tired, but he really isn't.

Yes, and that's why he'll play for three minutes, sit for two, play for five, sit for three, etc. He rarely plays a long stretch on the floor and he doesn't move up and down the court well. That's what I'm talking about. If he's not winded, then he's lazy. Either way, I'm not impressed.

You'll see him looking like he's sort of just lounging on the weak side and someone will drive, thinking they can catch Greg off guard, and then boom, Greg will be there and block the shot. He's an extremely sneaky player.

I've already said numerous time he's a good shot blocker, he just get them with the body because that's one area where he's always aggressive. All you need to beat his weak-side help ability is a good point guard who can dump the ball off for a layup. Tennessee did that a couple time and Oden got frustrated and fouled. Tenn. point guard wasn't all that good, either, imo. We'll see what happens with Lofton and Hansbrough when UNC and OSU meet up. I haven't even mentioned Roy Hibbert...

You also may not be used to seeing this type of player. I don't know if you watched Patrick Ewing or David Robinson in college, but Greg plays exactly like both of those guys did at that level. He's a dominant Center that doesn't do anything Centers don't do. He's not a hybrid player like the majority of NBA players today. He's not going to step out and hit outside jumpers or catch the ball at the top of the key and go to the basket.

Robinson and Ewing could shoot from the free throw line in. Same with Mourning, Kareem, Hakeem, Duncan, and even Yao. I haven't seen Oden do that. He camps out four feet from the basket and goes for hooks and dunks. He has no jump shot. I'm not saying you need a jump shot to be a good center (see Shaq), but he doesn't have the footwork or the power of Shaq. He may eventually, but he doesn't have that. All he is is a physical specimen who can block shots and box out.

Greg is one of the best at blocking out his man I've ever seen play the game.

He is good at boxing out. I agree. But I'm not gonna pay a kid 20 million a year to get rebounds...

We all know about his shotblocking ability, but he's a great man defender as well. I don't know where you get the notion that he fouls when he blocks shots.

Because he gets them with his body and also tends to get the hand. Don't get me wrong, he's got great anticipation and ability, but it's not refined enough.

Yes he is a physical defender, but there is a reason that he only fouled out one time this season and its not because of the refs giving him slack.

The refs give him slack. I don't know of anyone this season who hand-checked a player without going for the ball and didn't get an intentional foul. He also goal tended in the Xavier game at the end of the half, but they let that go, too. He uses his hands to get position more than his body (why is beyond me). He has no lateral quickness.

As a matter of fact, all year he has been grabbed, pushed, pulled every which way on the block, and he never gets any whistles off the ball. He gets fouled every single time he tries to establish position on the block, but he is way too strong for the refs to even notice. Watch him get entire front courts in to foul trouble in the NBA.

They don't call those because he's fouling them just as much. They don't notice because he's so strong...you said it yourself. He pushes back just as much as he's pushed. He gets plenty of whistles, that's how he got to the line last night. He's not Shaq. He may be in six years, but he's not Shaq.

As for only playing 29 minutes a game, I don't get your argument here. He played most of the season one handed, and got limited minutes early, but 29 minutes a game is still more then Patrick Ewing played his freshman year. As a matter of fact, all of his stats are better then Ewing's were his first season.

When has Patrick Ewing not been winded? Ewing was a project like Roy Hibbert...and he played in a tougher conference than Oden. The Big 10? Pff.

Once again, he did all of this on the season with only one healthy hand, his off hand. I cannot stress how amazing that is.

*shrug* The only impressive thing about that is that he shot free throws well and his shot blocking. You only need one good hand to dunk, and if you can't make hook shots with both hands as a pro-prospect center, then you shouldn't be a pro-prospect center. His hand has nothing to do with his mediocre footwork, nor does it have anything to do with his conditioning. Even when his hand is healthy, what does he do? Hook shots and dunks.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with this. Greg will go number 1 without a doubt in any NBA GM's mind, and that's because they see how special he is. You have to look below the surface. Oden will be a perrennial all-star.

Yeah, because "you can't coach size!" Oh, and he's overhyped. That helps with All-Star games. Unless I was playing a 6'7 power forward at center, I'd take Kevin Durant over Oden. Why? He's versatile in a good way. He's a small forward with post moves, a midrange game, a long game, rebounding ability, ball handling ability, passing ability, and the potential to be a great defender. Oden's a good shotblocker and rebounder who would be stopped on offense by Eddy Curry and Kwame Brown....hmm...two players who remind me of Oden. They're getting better, but they're not as good as advertised. They have the body and the talent, but not the desire. This is what I see in Oden.

Christopherson:

Besides, you can't project a player's college performance to the NBA very well. Hell Adam Morrison dominated college. So did Reddick. They kick ass now don't they.

GM's should know by now that you don't draft white guards from Duke. Or white players from Duke. They're just overachieving three point shooters or tall guys...

by **Matthew** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:36 am

Mr. Shane wrote:Perhaps this should be in the college section, but with this guy in the spotlight, the tourney winding down, and the NBA playoffs and draft coming up...

I'll start off by saying I hate the guy. With that bias out of the way, let's talk shop.

Everyone's jocking this guy, saying he's NBA ready, that he'll be a star, and so on. I think he'll be more Yinka and less Amare when he gets to the league. Here's why.

- He's out of shape. He only plays 29 minutes a game in college against people that are supposed to be inferior to him, and he looks gassed after a few trips up and down the floor. Shawn Kemp during his coke frenzy moved up court better than this guy...

- He fouls on most blocked shots. He gets away with it in college, but that would be his one redeeming quality for me: defense. And it isn't as good as advertised. I live in Iowa, so I see a lot of Big 10 games (yuck!)

- Which brings me to the Big 10 conference. He's playing in a crappy conference. True, there isn't one bad team in the conference, but all of them are mediocre at best. He has no other centers to play against. If OSU was in the ACC or Big East or SEC, they'd still be good, but they'd be fifth or sixth at best in conference play. Oh, and my old college Iowa State (15-16 record) stayed with them at Ohio State...they lost in the end, but ISU's horrible.

- He's not even the best player on his team! Ron Lewis appears, to me, to be the most NBA ready player on the team, and he can play 30+ minutes a game (he only averaged 28 min for the season, but he's been playing 30+ the last 6 games). Lewis is a clutch player, a shooter, a slasher...he'll be a sleeper of a second round pick, or FA pickup. I digress...

- He isn't composed. His team is losing to Xavier, he has 4 fouls, a shot is missed, Xavier gets the rebound...and Oden checks the guy. Should have been an intentional foul, but it wasn't, and, no thanks to the "most NBA ready player" in the NCAA, OSU won (but great thanks to the refs). One instance that's fresh in my mind, but there's been a couple others.

A side note: last night in the Tennesee game, Oden had blood on his jersey and the refs let him play...I think he was actually bleeding...isn't the rule the same in college as pro? If a player's bleeding, they have to leave the court?

- His offense is decent, but he uses his arms to get position and not his body. He'll have a rude shock when NBA refs call him for hooking and what not.

Basically, Oden, to me (realistically), is probably a solid top 15 pick. You can't coach size, the guy IS talented, but he has no heart. He'll probably go at 1, especially if Durant stays, but he shouldn't. The entire Florida starting five should go before him, and I can name a bunch of guards that should as well. Hell, McRoberts from Duke should go before him. But that probably won't be the case.

Any thoughts? I'd prefer responses from people who have actually seen him play, as the media is VERY biased towards him and anything you read about him is slanted towards this notion that he's going to be amazing.

Lol! This comming from the guy who was trying to tell us Lebron would be a bust becuase he had accepted Jerseys when he chouldn't have and Darko would be a better selection. Very nice.

Oden has no heart? The guy was playing one handed for most of the season. One hand! Think about it, if he had no heart theres no way he'd even be out there in that situation.

To even think that the entire Florida starting 5 should go ahead of him is just idiotic. The same goes for any thoughts of McRoberts going ahead of him. Oden shows tenacity and excellent timing on the defensive end, and like it or not he was the one that has taken Ohio State to the next level, the level where they sit now.

The thing is he isn't quite as polished as the guards you list (what big man is?), but his body control is great and from what I can tell seems very coachable. Remember, he is very young. Thats not an excuse, but its a fact. He will become much more skilled on the offensive end.

Is he a sure lock hall of famer? No. Is he worthy of being the number or two pick? Absolutely.

by **Wall St. Peon** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:59 am

Lol! This comming from the guy who was trying to tell us Lebron would be a bust becuase he had accepted Jerseys when he chouldn't have and Darko would be a better selection.

No, if I remember right, I said he'd be a bust because of off the court issues. I said Darko would be a better bet because he proved he didn't get in trouble.

Oden has no heart? The guy was playing one handed for most of the season. One hand! Think about it, if he had no heart theres no way he'd even be out there in that situation.

*shrug* He skipped the first 7 or 8 games because of it. It's not like he was playing on a broken ankle. I guarantee it wasn't as bad as it's made out to be. Sure, he had restricted movement and what not, and it's impressive what he did, but you obviously haven't seen him play. Unless you moved to the US, I doubt you've actually seen more than highlights of him which are just that...highlights.

To even think that the entire Florida starting 5 should go ahead of him is just idiotic.

OK, OK, just four of them...one of which, last year, would have been the number 1 pick...he'll be the third pick this year if Oden and Durant come out.

The same goes for any thoughts of McRoberts going ahead of him.

I meant the McRoberts comment as a sarcastic one. McRoberts (and Paulus) suck...

Oden shows tenacity and excellent timing on the defensive end, and like it or not he was the one that has taken Ohio State to the next level, the level where they sit now.

And that proves that you don't know what you're talking about and haven't seen them play. Last year, OSU won the Big 10 title and lost in the second round of the tourney to Georgetown. They were 26-6. This year, they should have lost in the second round to Xavier, but a no-call on an intentional foul and bad coaching got them to the Sweet 16. Basically, with or without Oden, they're a top 10 team. With him, a top 5.

Oh, and I never said he'd be a bust. I honestly think he'll be a decent player, around 15 pts and 10 board, a couple blocks. But that won't be for another 4 or 5 years. Until then, he won't be able to do more than rebound and play defense. He has no post moves, and apparently, the main reason everyone thinks he's so good is his size and the fact he played with a taped hand. So, with that being said, he'll probably be a number one pick, and he'll probably pan out to be a solid center in the end. But he won't be an all-star, and, with all this hype, they're setting him up for failure.

If you've never seen more than highlights, don't respond. If all you've seen is highlights, you'll think it's the second coming of Christ. I've seen a dozen OSU games this year, if not more, and he's the same every game - unimpressive. The only time I was impressed was against Tennessee...the first game. Other than that, watching him annoyed me, probably mostly due to the announcers.

As for centers...Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough (well, he's a PF in the traditional sense of the word), that Gray fella from Pitt? What about them? Do you even know who they are, Matthew?

by **---** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 10:24 am

As for centers...Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough (well, he's a PF in the traditional sense of the word), that Gray fella from Pitt? What about them? Do you even know who they are, Matthew?

I'm not Matthew, but heres what I think of them:

Roy Hibbert - Essentially a weaker, less talented offensive player, older and 2 inches taller version of Oden. Slower and a bad rebounder for 7-2 at just 6.7 per game. A project that could become something basically due to his size.

Tyler Hansbrough - Nice, but 2 years older than Oden and 3 inches shorter. Not much of a defender in terms of blocking shots. Good scorer in the post and a pretty good rebounder.

Aaron Gray - 3 years older than Oden, averages 14/9 and a couple blocks. Slow as hell and probably manages those 14 off his 7-1, 280 frame.

Unless you moved to the US, I doubt you've actually seen more than highlights of him which are just that...highlights.

Just to let you know, I live in NZ and have watched every Texas Longhorns game bar one (live and downloaded a while after the broadcast) that has been televised this season. I don't even have cable TV. I'm prety sure Matthew would be able to watch more than just highlights if I can.

by **Matthew** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 10:28 am

Th McRoberts statement was sarcastic?

"Basically, Oden, to me (realistically), is probably a solid top 15 pick. You can't coach size, the guy IS talented, but he has no heart. He'll probably go at 1, especially if Durant stays, but he shouldn't. The entire Florida starting five should go before him, and I can name a bunch of guards that should as well. Hell, McRoberts from Duke should go before him. But that probably won't be the case."

How is anyone meant to translate that into sacrism? And if they do, do they also think you're entire post is sarcastic? Becuase your posts in this thread have all had the same tone.

You're downplaying the hand injury the same way you're saying it was overhyped. He missed the first 5 games I think, but it was hurting him so bad he was shooting his ft's left handed. While that's not Willis Reed or even MJ in 97, it's still pretty gutsy to be out there.

It's proven I haven't seen them play? Please. Your proof is as solid as water. I have watched them play numerous times this season, we get more college basketball games on ESPN then NBA games here, and we get a good portion of tournament games.

But then again, its "proven" that "i havent seen them play". You idiot.

An missed intentional call? Yeah reward somone jumping backwards after being fouled trying to milk a call. Yeah thats the way basketball should be played... it wasn't a fraglant foul and was called appropiately.

To say he won't live upto expectations is to call him a bust. You say with such authority and conviction that he wont average 15 and 10 until 4 years into his NBA career. What exactly are you basing that on? The fact that he played half the season injured? Really, you try to dismiss what I say but you're the one who said that Lebron would be a bust in a similar type of thread a few years ago, so really what you're saying has no merit.

I'm still trying to figure out why you listed Hansbrough and Hibbert. What do they even have to do with this conversation?

by **The X** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:22 am

Tyler Hansborough equals David Lee, give or take....probably a bit better offensively than Lee but not as athletic....both great players to have on your team....

although they're not the topic, Oden is....Oden is NBA ready, rebounding & shot blocking wise....note, that I do not say defensively....he'll be good as a weakside help defender, but one-on-one, like all rookie big men, he'll struggle to guard the bigger, older players....but he'll be fine....

his number 1 draft status is based on his sheer potential as an NBA centre....how many centres come along with his tools & potential to impact game on the NBA level?!? the answer is not too many....Duncan is the last one that comes to mind to enter the league....before that, Shaq & Zo....

I don't think anyone is silly enough to say that Oden is the best player in this coming draft (if he declares), or even a top 5 player....players like Durant & Alando Tucker will have more immediate impacts on their respective teams....but these are draft prospects, not whose the best player, but who will be the best player....Durant will probably end up the better player overall, but when you're talking about a player that changes a game from the centre position, that's why he's the number 1 draft prospect....

by **beau_boy04** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:41 am

I'm just scared someone will turn out to be the next kwame brown or the next olowakandi :shock:

by **Indy** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:30 pm

I knew this thread would be coming, Greg isn't a stats guy. He's won championships at every level for a reason. He does all the things needed to win ballgames, period.

Shane, stop bringing up the "intentional foul" issue. That's a bunch of bullshit, and its losers talk. If that had been an intentional foul, everyone would be whining that the refs took the game out of the hands of the players, and he really did do quite an acting job on the foul anyways. OSU should have lost eh? Well, Xavier had a chance to put them up 4 with 9 seconds to go, only hit one, big Ron hits a three and we dominate overtime. That's what champions do.

Anyways, we are straying from Oden discussion in to Buckeye discussion.

As for Patrick Ewing being winded, yes he was tired often during his college years. So you've basically just proven that getting winded in college will not have any effect on whether or not you deserve the number 1 pick, since Pat Ewing is only one of the greatest Centers to play the game.

You also have Greg's substitution pattern wrong. Thad has done the spurts of playing time for Greg at times, but that was only for situational reasons, nothing to do with Greg getting tired. He often plays a majority of the first half, sits to finish it, and only takes one break in the second half.

by **Matt** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:50 pm

speaking on Durant......being like KG and having 3pnt range is the worst thing that can happen to him.

by **The X** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:34 pm

Matt wrote:speaking on Durant......being like KG and having 3pnt range is the worst thing that can happen to him.

difference is Durant is a perimeter wing forward (SF) on the next level & will be primarily facing the basket....although Garnett started as a SF in his career (due to being skinny), he's almost been more of a PF/combo forward that will attack the hoop....Garnett also has a bit more height & length than Durant....Durant's comparison is T-Mac & Garnett, but he'll be more on perimeter like T-Mac but with more lengths & more D....

EDIT: But yeah, let's hope he continues to attack hoop & doesn't fall in love with the outside jumper....

by **TSquared** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 6:58 pm

On Oden:
This player reminds me Antonio McDyess.. Except that he is taller and bigger.. But nonetheless.. His game is similar to McDyess.. His face looks the same too.. But in my opinion.. He's not NBA ready.. But if he goes pro, he needs a good coach who can teach him how to score from jumpers on perimeters to post plays.. I think he'll be a superstar in the NBA.. But not on his first three years.. or so...

by **---** on Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:12 pm

This player reminds me Antonio McDyess..

How!?

His game is similar to McDyess..

No offence, but have you ever seen him play?

The only thing I saw in McDyess that I see in Greg Oden is his great rebounding ability. Other than that, pretty much nothing except for having good quickness/athleticism for his height (however McDyess is what, 6'9 and Greg Oden is 7 foot).

Antonio was basically a super athletic, quick player that could score inside and mid range. From what I have seen over the years, his mid range game is actually quite impressive.

Oden is strictly a post player, nothing else. He blocks shots like crazy, Antonio's career high average is 2.3 in 98/99, impressive? - yes, but mainly due to his athleticism rather than his skill in the shot bloking department. I don't see how you compare the two.

His face looks the same too..

Is this the only reason you compared the two?

But if he goes pro, he needs a good coach who can teach him how to score from jumpers on perimeters to post plays..

Wait.. Are you saying that Greg Oden needs to learn how to shoot from the perimeter? Why if he is so good down low? Why is he so valuable to NBA teams because he will be one of the only "true" centers when he hits the L?

Greg Oden - NBA Ready?

Greg Oden - NBA Ready?

Re: Greg Oden - NBA Ready?

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