SUMMARY
- Greg Oden was a highly touted basketball player coming out of Ohio State University.
- After a stellar college career, Oden was drafted into the league in 2007 by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Greg Oden is among the lesser-known faces in the NBA. He was a highly touted basketball player coming out of college whose professional career was wrecked by injuries. Recently, the veteran player’s quote from a 2016 interview about being remembered as the biggest bust in the league’s history went viral. This has made countless people curious about his career stats and the last game that Oden played before retiring.
Notably, the veteran player attended the Ohio State University in the 2006-2007 season. During this, Oden played 32 games and had an average score of 15.7 points, 9.6 total rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. Despite being a part of the basketball team for only one season, his impact was undeniable. Oden led the team to the national championship game, earned All-Big Ten first-team honors, was named the Defensive Player of the Year, etc.
After a stellar college career, Oden was drafted into the league in 2007 by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was the first overall pick in the draft and his debut was most-awaited. However, Oden wasn’t able to play his first NBA game until the 2008-2009 season as he suffered a knee injury. Unfortunately, this was just the start, as his professional career was hindered by numerous injuries.
Greg Oden averaged 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 105 games
Gren Oden was a part of the league for seven seasons, however, he only played for three seasons. Throughout his journey, he battled injuries and severe alcohol problems that kept him away from the court. During his career, he earned an estimated amount of $24,066,185 in career earnings. Further, he made 105 appearances during three seasons and averaged 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game.
Greg Oden wasn’t a bust, when he played, he was a solid center. The issue was his health.
If you have to retire after 4 seasons because you can’t stay healthy, that isn’t considered a bust. A bust is someone who just sucks
Prime Greg Oden was a beast!pic.twitter.com/1qXt6yC6wF https://t.co/1QOcXkjJ1b
— Blazer Enthusiast (@BlazeEnthusiast) March 2, 2024
After his NBA career came to an end, Oden joined the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese League in the 2015-2016 season. In October 2016, after playing 25 games, he announced his retirement from his professional playing career. Oden is now serving as the director of basketball operations at Butler University. He joined in 2022 and is currently in his second season.
Greg Oden played for two teams throughout his career
Throughout his injuries-plagued career, Greg Oden played for two teams. He represented the Portland Trail Blazers for two seasons, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. After this, Oden was away from the court for three long seasons due to his injuries. The veteran basketball player returned in 2013-2014 and played for the Miami Heat, during this, he played his last NBA game and announced his retirement.
Notably, Oden played 23 games during his last season in the NBA and averaged 2.9 points, and 2.3 total rebounds per game. Fans were disheartened to see how the young athlete who had so much to offer, couldn’t do so because of the injuries. Oden is currently making use of his exceptional skills, basketball IQ, and experience at Butler University.