SUMMARY
- Greg Oden's NBA career lasted through 2007 and 2014 but he only played for three seasons.
- Multiple injuries and surgeries caused the former No.1 overall pick to retire at 28 years old.
Every year, a new group of budding basketball players gets a chance to showcase their talent at the highest level. Greg Oden was one of these stars who earned his place in the NBA in 2007. He was blessed with the opportunity of being drafted No.1 overall after a highly successful college run at Ohio State. But nobody expected his stint in the league to cap off within a couple of years, let alone three agonizing seasons. But Oden’s fate was nothing less of unfortunate.
During his stint at Ohio, the former NBA star exceeded a lot of expectations. At this point, he wasn’t nearly as injury-prone as he was during his professional career. The Ohio State Buckeyes were one of the top competitors in the NCAA under Oden’s leader. They managed to make the 2006-07 season NCAA Tournament final but lost to the Florida Gators. But Oden still managed to be named Big Ten Conference tournament MOP, Freshmen of the Year, and NABC Defensive Player of the Year. In 2007, he declared for the NBA draft.
Greg Oden never achieved NBA stardom due to multiple injuries
It’s extremely shocking to know that Greg Oden was selected No.1 overall over Kevin Durant. However, before the 2007-08 season commenced and after signing a sizeable deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, Oden had a microfracture in his knee. He missed his rookie season in recovery and reclassified to make his official debut in 2008. However, he still struggled to get a grip on himself.
During his debut game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Blazers big man would injure himself again causing him to go scoreless in 13 minutes. He struggled to get out of his home or even stay healthy. Oden resorted to alcoholism to ease the pain and regularly used pills to sleep. Oden only showed up for 61 games but faced multiple setbacks.
The 2008-09 season was supposed to be his year of redemption. However, after 21 games, Oden fractured his patella and missed the entire season. Before the following season, Oden would have a second microfracture in the knee which sidelined him once again. He missed the 2011-12 season due to surgeries after which the Blazers waived him.
He chose to sit out during the 2012-13 campaign to focus on getting himself in shape and healthy enough to compete. Even though teams were interested in signing him through that season, it was Oden who made the last call. In 2013, he would sign with the Miami Heat. But he never regained his ability to play at a high level. After the one-year deal was completed, he was never brought back again.
Greg Oden tried to earn his second shot at basketball in China
It was an emotional time for Greg Oden as he felt that he failed his peers and coaches. “I felt like a loser,” he said, “I felt like a failure, let down Portland, I let down the entire franchise staff and the organization. I felt like I let down my family and everyone who coached me and believed in me,” Oden stated during an interview on The Ringer.
In 2015, Oden reportedly began working out with various teams to land himself another contract. He also began training with coaches who worked for Ohio State. Eventually, he managed to get himself a deal with the Chinese Basketball Association. Oden was signed to the Jiangsu Dragon for a year. After a decent stint, he decided to part ways with the CBA. He announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 28.
Reminder: Greg Oden took on a NBA frontcourt of Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Marreese Speights & did all of this. Complete dominance. Would’ve been one of the best players in the world if he never got injured. pic.twitter.com/OSx4TIWp2n
— Educational Basketball Scouting (@EBScouting) February 23, 2024
Greg Oden realized it was time for a change. He eventually returned to Ohio State to complete his degree and he also served as a student manager on the Buckeyes. After acquiring a bachelor’s degree in sports industry, he worked as an athlete advisor for Edyoucore Sports and Entertainment. He currently serves as a Director of Basketball Operations at Butler University.