Greg Oden's NBA future - Does he have one?

[BBallfanJ]

Today it was announced that Portland center Greg Oden will undergo micro-fracture surgery on the left knee. In 2007 Oden had micro-fracture surgery on the right knee. He has played in all of 82 games since being taken first overall in 2007.
After the announcement of this latest surgery, does Oden even have a future in the NBA and if he does, can he ever be a productive player? Quite tragic for someone who at one time was hyped as a great center of the future. How different would Portland's fortunes be if they had taken Durant first overall.

[CKR13]

One of the reason why the Portland Trailblazer had not given him a contract extension this past summer and Oden was eagerly holding out for a 2 year extension atleast.

Oden himself admitted that "I do not expect to be 100% for the rest of my career" during an interview with the Oregonian. He had potential but leg injuries got the better of him.

[Rycka]

see ilgauskas, but tbh i think his carrier is over.

[Khalid80]

Greg Oden is really living up to his nickname "Baby Gramps" but this is really sad .

I don't remember anyone being only 22 years old and already passing through as many injuries as Oden has.

[mvblair]

see ilgauskas

Ilgauskas is the reason that Yao and Greg Oden can have hope for the future. Ilgauasks suffered so many debilitating ankle injuries and then he had a great recovery thanks to newly developed surgeries. He became an All-Star and is finishing his career nicely (although I wish he'd stayed in Cleveland).

This is really tragic, though. Despite his little adventure with sexting pictures of his ding-dong and being the ugliest player since Tyrone Hill, I think he seems like a pretty decent fellow. He's got the skills to be a 15-10 guy in the NBA, but after this....I don't know.

If he does come back, my guess is that the trainers will regulate his minutes pretty heavily and he will never be the All-Star that people predicted he will be.

I wouldn't call him a bust. It seemed like a wise pick at the time in the draft.

[Strida]

He'll definitely play again....but he most likely won't ever reach his full potential.

Damn shame, because he is a class act. A true gentleman.

[sinobball]

Damn shame, because he is a class act. A true gentleman.

What classy things did he do other than showing his penis on twitter?

[Strida]

What classy things did he do other than showing his penis on twitter?

Is this a joke? The guy is a class act. Tons of people all over the league talk about what a gentleman Oden is. Look at what happened when he got injured after a collision with Brooks last year.

It's the second time in three seasons Oden has been shelved with a serious knee injury. He missed all of what would have been his rookie season following microfracture surgery on his right knee.

But in yet another dark hour Oden, 21, showed what a class act he is. Roy hardly could believe what was coming out of the big man's mouth as he lay on the Rose Garden floor for seven minutes before a stretcher arrived to take him away.

"He kept apologizing to us when he was getting dragged off the court,'' said Roy, one of many players on both teams who gathered around Oden to wish him the best. "He felt he let us down.''
The fans had roared their support for the center when he was down, chanting "Oden, Oden, Oden.'' Then when he was being wheeled off the court, a fan extended his hand to offer encouragement.

Oden shook the hand.

Here in Portland they're getting used to what a gentle giant this man is. But he even continues to surprise Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard.

"I'm telling you that he was more interested in the score of the game than how he was. I've never seen anything like that."
-- Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard on Greg Oden "He's a great kid,'' Pritchard said. "I can't tell you how much of a great kid. He'll pull through this. I know him. He's a tough kid and he cares. I'm telling you that he was more interested in the score of the game than how he was. I've never seen anything like that.''

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/12/06/greg-oden-shows-maturity-with-injury/

[CKR13]

Since then Oden has matured and true to his word of being a positive role model, he took part in a lot of Blazers community and charity work.

One of the facets of being "Classy" indeed.

Stay Classy Greg.

[Lowman]

I think the Ilgauskas references are really appropriate in this case. I think it is good that they have made the call to not rush him back. Hopefully he will be able to use the time to strengthen all of his other muscle groups and let his knee heal.

The worst thing is people rushing back like Amare did a few years ago.

In terms of basketball development you have to feel for this guy though. He will enter his fourth year in the NBA having only played half a season of college ball and 82 games in the League. He will essentially be a rusty 2nd year player. Yikes.

Best of luck to him though,he shows awesome potential when he is on the court.

[mvblair]

What classy things did he do other than showing his penis on twitter?

Sino, if you saw the picture, you would know how classy it was.

[robbe]

Maybe a woman slipped on the street and he asked her if she was okay.

[JGX]

Maybe a woman slipped on the street and he asked her if she was okay.

I still can't tell if you think that was a real story or not.

I guess my lasting memory of Oden will be watching him shoot 0-9 from the free throw line in a tournament game as a HS freshman.

[giljr]

Yes. He could still be productive. He is a good player and a good Center for his team even if he is having many injuries during his NBA career he still manage to come back and play big with his team. I think Portland would be great if they would choose Durant rather than Oden.