Greg Oden
| Greg Oden | |
|---|---|
| File:061216 oden vmed 3p.jpg | |
| College | Ohio State |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Position | Center |
| Class | Freshman |
| Career | 2006–2007 |
| Height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Weight | 280 lb (127 kg) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Born | January 22, 1988 Buffalo, New York |
| High school | Lawrence North, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Career highlights | |
| Awards | |
| 2005 PARADE HS Player of the Year 2005 Gatorade Natl. Player of the Year 2006 PARADE HS Player of the Year 2006 Gatorade Natl. Player of the Year 2006 McDonald's All-American 2006 Naismith Prep Player of the Year 2007 AP All-American 1st Team | |
| Tournaments | |
| 2007 NCAA Tournament | |
Greg Oden (born January 22, 1988 in Buffalo, New York) is an American basketball player who has declared himself eligible for the 2007 NBA Draft. He played for the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2006-07 NCAA season. He attended Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, where he led them to three straight state titles and 45 consecutive wins under coach Jack Keefer. Oden was named PARADE's High School Co-Player of the Year 2005 (along with Monta Ellis) and 2005 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year, becoming the first junior since LeBron James to be named such. Also, Oden was named PARADE's High School Player of the Year and Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2006, winning the award in back-to-back years. He is often compared to NBA star Tim Duncan in body size and mechanics.[1] Oden is noted for his similar appearance to Robert Parish as well as his quiet and humble demeanor.[1]
High school
In the 2005-06 season, Oden, a 7'0" 280 lb (2.14 m, 126 kg) senior, led Lawrence North to an undefeated record, a third straight Class 4A Indiana state championship and the first ever top finish for an Indiana school in USA Today's Super 25 rankings. For the season, the center scored 22.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 74 percent from the field. Oden dominated in the state championship game against Muncie Central, scoring a game-high 56 points and grabbing 21 rebounds. Lawrence North won its last three state championship games by a combined 56 points and its average margin of victory during the regular season was 41 points. Oden was named 2006 Mr Basketball in Indiana. He was also on the McDonald's All-America Team and played in the All-America game.
Oden has been invited to participate on the 2008 USA Olympic Basketball team. NBA analyst Steve Kerr has described Oden as a "once-in-a-decade player."[2]
In 2006, he was added to the current roster for the USA Men's National Basketball Team.
Collegiate career
On June 29, 2005, Oden and Lawrence North teammate as well as best friend Mike Conley announced that they would be attending Ohio State University starting with the 2006-07 season. Many thought that Oden would have declared himself eligible for and been the first player selected in the 2006 NBA Draft, but the NBA instituted rules starting with the 2006 draft that make U.S. players ineligible for the draft until at least one year after high school graduation. Additionally, Oden had repeatedly stated that he would not forgo college for the NBA.
Oden had surgery on his right wrist on June 16, 2006, in Indianapolis to repair a ligament injury late in his senior high school season. As a result, he sat out the beginning of the 2006-07 season with Ohio State, during which his team was ranked as high as first before losing to North Carolina. He made his college debut on December 2, 2006, against Valparaiso, coming off the bench. He finished the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. As of March 14, 2007, Oden has averaged 15.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.[3]
The Big Ten honored Oden with Player of the Week, along with Wisconsin's Alando Tucker, on January 29, 2007. In the previous week he had averaged 18 points and 11.5 rebounds.[4] On March 6, 2007, Oden was named First Team All-Big Ten as well being voted the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.[5] Oden fouled out for the first time in his college career against Xavier in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and was bothered by foul trouble throughout the tournament. In the Sweet Sixteen, Oden blocked a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds against Tennessee to preserve a 85-84 victory in the Sweet Sixteen, and went on to lead Ohio State past Memphis and Georgetown to advance to the 2007 National Championship. In the title game, Oden scored 25 points, 12 rebounds, and had 4 blocked shots in a losing effort against the Florida Gators.
On March 26, 2007, Oden, along with Kevin Durant, Arron Afflalo, Alando Tucker, and Acie Law IV were named to the Associated Press All-American Team. Oden and Durant are the first freshmen voted to the All-American First Team since 1990 and the third and fourth overall.
Most draft experts agree that if Oden goes to the NBA he would be selected as one of the first two picks in the Draft.
On April 13, 2007, Oden's father, Greg Oden Sr., announced that Oden would leave Ohio State and enter the 2007 NBA Draft.[6] However, on April 14, 2007, Oden's mother and Mike Conley's father, Mike Conley, Sr., both refuted this claim, stating that Oden has yet to make a decision.[7]
On April 20, 2007, however, Oden announced that he would be entering the NBA Draft.[8]
References
- ^ a b Simmons, Bill (2007-03-26). "NCAA renaissance peaks with great weekend". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2007-03-28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kerr, Steve (2006-12-15). "Questions and The Answer". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2007-01-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Greg Oden's ESPN profile
- ^ "Oden Earns First Big Ten Weekly Award". Ohio State University Department of Athletics. 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2007-01-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Oden to named First Team All-Big Ten, Defensive Player of the Year".
- ^ Rabjohns, Jeff (2007-04-14), "Dad: Oden is going pro", The Indianapolis Star
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Conley Sr. disputes Oden's father on decision
- ^ Williams, Mark (April 20, 2007). "Oden to leave Ohio State after freshman year". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-04-20.
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