• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

C Greg Oden (All B1G, All-American, Defensive Player of the Year, Butler Assistant Coach)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
ORD_Buckeye;2359352; said:
My like for this guy will more than outweigh any Lebron hate that I have. Guy has done nothing but represent Ohio State perfectly on and off the court since the day he showed up.
Click to expand...

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...and-exclusive-greg-oden-on-why-he-chose-miami

"The cool thing about playing for the Heat is when you're LeBron's teammate and you screw up, nobody gets mad at you for missing a shot or turning the ball over -- they get mad at LeBron for passing to you in the first place."
-- Greg Oden
 
Upvote 0
Riley on adding Oden, 'It's a great challenge for him'
By Ira Winderman South Florida Sun Sentinel
August 7, 2013

544x525


MIAMI?

It is a phrase that has become tired, trite and numbingly worn out with the Miami Heat.

It's also one that apparently will resonate when it comes to newly signed free-agent center Greg Oden: It's a process.

No sooner did the Heat on Wednesday formally announce the signing of the oft-injured hulking 7-foot center, then Heat President Pat Riley made clear that when it comes to the No. 1 overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft it's . . . going to be a process.

"It's a great challenge for him," Riley said in a statement. "We know all about his past injuries, but we feel that there is a huge upside and the possibility of him helping us. We will continue his program and then we will tackle basketball issues after that."

Oden, 25, has not appeared in an NBA game since Dec. 5, 2009, undergoing three microfracture surgeries on his knees, while also dealing with a variety of other ailments and issues.

cont...
Click to expand...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/sfl-miami-heat-greg-oden-s080513,0,2892942.story
 
Upvote 0
Oden ready to join Heat after long road back
By KAREEM COPELAND (Associated Press) | The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Greg Oden has every reason to be frustrated and disappointed. The former No. 1 overall pick out of Ohio State has endured three micro fracture knee surgeries, the last in February 2012, and hasn't played an NBA game since Dec. 5, 2009.

This was not the career Oden envisioned.

The former Portland Trail Blazer, however, was all smiles during a press conference at St. Vincent Sports Performance on Saturday. He will leave Indianapolis at Monday morning after signing a two-year, $2.173 million deal with the two-time defending champion Miami Heat. The second year is a player option.

''After three years of being out, I'm just going to go out and do what I can,'' Oden said. ''If somehow (my body) says no, then it says no. But for me, I'm not even worried about that. Just go play and not even think about that.

''I've signed on the dotted line, put it like that. I've got a contract. As y'all can see this smile, I've got a contract. I'm excited.''

There haven't been many reasons to smile about Oden's professional career. He's been labeled the modern-day Sam Bowie - a bust selected instead of a Hall of Famer. Bowie was selected No. 2 in the 1984, one pick before Michael Jordan. Oden was taken one pick before three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant. He's played a total of 82 NBA games and averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

''Two years ago ... when I was in Portland, there were some dark times for me,'' Oden said. ''That two weeks after my last surgery ... I was just like, 'I don't know what's going on. What's going to happen? Which way is it going to go?'

''Two weeks later I was like, 'I'm coming back.' That's what I want to do.''

Oden has accepted the new version of himself. He will no longer overwhelm opponents with sheer athleticism. He'll be a role player off the bench on a team that includes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen.

Oden was thrilled to play three consecutive games of full-court, 4-on-4 last week. The goal is simple: play basketball again.

''I'm 25 (years old) now ... I've got an old body,'' Oden said. ''I understand. My body is not going to be (like it was) when I was 18 and able to run all day and jump over people. I can't do that. It's just not going to happen. My knees, the wear and tear, I understand that.

''But I'm a play as hard as I can. I'm going to try to jump over people and I'm going to try to run all day. If my body lets me, I'll do it.''

cont...
Click to expand...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oden-ready-join-heat-long-182041328--nba.html
 
Upvote 0
August 11, 2013
Jeff Rabjohns
Special to

INDIANAPOLIS - Greg Oden didn't even try to hide the smile.

Sitting between two trainers who were keys in his development as a high school star and have been the same in his lengthy rehabilitation after injuries derailed his basketball career and kept him out of the NBA the past three years, Oden sat in a black T-shirt and with both hands, pointed to the fact he was smiling.

464588.gif

Greg Oden had a standout freshman season with the Buckeyes.
The reason? He just heard Ralph Reiff, executive director of St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis say, "He is in full basketball mode."

Oden, who led Ohio State to the 2007 Final Four before being the No. 1 NBA draft pick, will report to the NBA champion Miami Heat on Monday. He signed a two-year contract for $2.2 million, with a player option for the second year.

The 7-foot center hasn't played since Dec. 5, 2009. He was 48 days shy of his 22nd birthday.

Now 25, Oden will be a reserve on a start-studded Heat team with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"I want to play basketball," Oden said Saturday, his workouts at St. Vincent's complete. "After that last surgery in 2012, the doc said, 'Just be a regular person and go live life. If you're a regular person, you would be perfectly fine walking out of this place and not have to worry about any rehabilitation or anything.' I did and then two weeks later, I was stuck on NBA TV. That's what I watch every day.

"I just want to play basketball. That's my love. That's what I want to do."

That's where the journey began that led him to this point. Oden, who has played only 82 NBA games, doesn't know what to expect from his body. He feels good, but he knows his body has failed him before, leading to four knee surgeries.

"I'm 25 now. They don't want to say it, but I'll say it, I've got an old body," Oden said. "I understand. My body is not going to be where it was when I was 18 and able to run all day and jump over people. I can't do that now. It's just not going to happen. My knees, the wear and tear, the surgeries, I understand it now. But I'm going to play as hard as I can. I'm going to try to jump over people. I'm going to try to run all day if my body lets me."

Oden was back on the court playing games for the first time in a very long time on Thursday. He played four half-court, four-on-four games, first team to five baskets wins.

"I will never forget seeing Greg Thursday afternoon. It was the biggest smile I've ever seen on an athlete's face," said Reiff, whose center has trained Olympic gold medalists, NBA first-round draft picks, NFL players, Indianapolis 500 champions and a host of other high-level athletes.

When Oden gets on the court for Miami remains undetermined. He does expect to play, he just doesn't know when.

"It hasn't been talked about. They haven't said, 'We don't want you to play till April,' or anything like that," Oden said. "They say it on TV all the time. I listen just like everybody else. When I get there Monday and we start working, that's when it'll all come in."

cont...
Click to expand...

http://ohiostate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1535115
 
Upvote 0
Greg Oden?s Deal With Miami Heat Only for One Year


Initial reports said that the Miami Heat signed center Greg Oden to a two-year contract. It turns out, according to his agent, that it?s only for one season: ?First reported by @MarkDeeksNBA, Greg Oden?s agent Mike Conley tells @CSNNW 1-year deal w/ Heat includes no 2nd year option for either side.?
Click to expand...

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2013/08/greg-odens-deal-with-miami-heat-only-for-one-year/

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4f4xWZx3fE"]Greg Oden Interview - Talks about signing with Miami Heat | August 12, 2013 | NBA 2013/14 Season - YouTube[/ame]
 
Upvote 0
Heat's Greg Oden knows disappointment but keeps smiling
August 29, 2013|By Shandel Richardson, Sun Sentinel

INDIANAPOLIS — It is the phrase most often associated with Greg Oden.

His high school coach says it repeatedly.

So does his college coach.

And his close friends.

They say it to a point where it almost seems rehearsed. Each interview sounds the same.

"I feel sorry for him," they all say.

pixel.gif

pixel.gif

The record stops skipping the moment they realize the Oden of late has given them little reason to have sympathy for the oft-injured 2007 No. 1 draft pick. Although playing just 82 NBA games has caused its share of heartbreak, the 7-foot Oden is focused more on his new hope with the Miami Heat instead of a series of injuries that derailed a promising career.

"Greg is just Greg," said Thad Matta, who coached Oden for one season at Ohio State. "I know this sounds crazy, but he's always got a big smile on his face. I think that as his progression came along, he started to do a little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more, he started to hold his head a little bit higher."

No moment displayed Oden was past his struggles than when he held a press conference Aug. 10 in his hometown of Indianapolis. It was his first comments since joining the Heat. He showed no signs of a player who has dealt with so much adversity during his NBA life.

"I've signed on the dotted line, put it like that," Oden said. "I've got a contract. As y'all can see this smile, I've got a contract. I'm excited."

It wasn't always this way.

Oden, who was supposed to be the cornerstone for the Portland Trail Blazers, played his last NBA game game Dec. 5, 2009, when he injured his knee in the first quarter, triggering a series of setbacks. There were eventually four surgeries on both knees, and Oden was waived by Portland in 2012.

Oden remembers it all. He just no longer lets it disrupt happiness.

"I can't forget it," Oden said. "It happened. The past six years did happen."

cont...
Click to expand...

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/20...oot-oden-greg-oden-lawrence-north-high-school
 
Upvote 0
Greg Oden eager to resume basketball career with the Miami Heat





Sep. 21, 2013
bilde


FILE - NBA player and Lawrence North High School grad Greg Oden watches his former team take on Carmel. Feb. 1, 2013. / Chris Bergin / For The Star
Written by
Alex Kennedy
Hoopsworld.com

For the first time in awhile, Greg Oden is legitimately happy.

As he dons his No. 20 Miami Heat jersey and talks about joining the two-time defending champions, the smile and charisma that he constantly displayed when he entered the league in 2007 is back.

“I’m just excited,” Oden told Heat.com. “I’m just anticipating and ready to officially be a part of this team. They’re the world champs. I mean, who wouldn’t want to join this team?”

In recent years, Oden hasn’t had much reason to smile. After undergoing five knee operations, including three microfracture procedures, he had sunk into a deep depression. He tried to drown his sorrows by drinking and became a self-proclaimed alcoholic. He was overcome with a feeling of hopelessness and bitterness. When fans would approach him for pictures or autographs, he would be annoyed, wondering why they’d want to interact with someone who was — as he put it — “nothing now.”

At 16, when he played for Lawrence North High School, Oden was labeled as the next great center — a once-in-a-generation talent who drew comparisons to NBA legend Bill Russell among others. At 24, he was waived by the Portland Trail Blazers — out of the league that he was supposed to dominate. He had realized his dream of playing in the NBA, only to have it end in nightmare fashion.

cont...
Click to expand...

http://www.indystar.com/viewart/20130920/SPORTS/309200070/Greg-Oden-eager-to-resume-basketball-career-with-the-Miami-Heat
 
Upvote 0
Oden says cautious approach will continue in Heat camp


  • By Ira Winderman South Florida Sun Sentinel
    September 29, 2013

    BOCA RATON—
    Greg Oden has been patient to this point. He said he isn't about to change now, even as the Miami Heat prepare to open training camp Tuesday in the Bahamas.

    Out of the league since Dec. 2009 due to a series of knee issues, the 7-foot center has been working at AmericanAirlines Arena for nearly two months. In an interview with the Sun Sentinel on the eve of camp, he stressed that patience remains prudent.


    "Really, for me, I'm happy being on the court and playing and getting back into the thick of basketball," he said at a promotional appearance at the offices of Shelling Orthodontics and Maye Pediatric Dentistry, an event which also served as a fundraiser for the Udonis Haslem Children's Foundation.

    "I bang a little bit, still taking it slow. I'm taking steps. So I do a little bit, do a little bit of up and down, but we're not trying to wear out the knee. We're trying to make sure I can do a little bit and the next day I can do something, too."

    For now, trainers Jay Sabol and Rey Jaffet are as much a part of the process in the Oden assessments as the coaching staff.

    "I'm working every day. I'm doing what I can," Oden said before signing hundreds of autographs. "And when Rey and Jay say I can go full go, that's when it's time."

    Haslem, before stepping in to sign his share of autographs, said Oden has offered a taste of the possibilities during the informal August and September workouts.

    "Oh man, it feels good to have a big man with that skill level," the veteran power forward said."You can't really teach that. That's very rare, to have a guy at that size who can do the things that he does. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

    "He's close, but we're going to bring him along slowly. There's no rush. It's a long season. We've got a lot of depth, so we'll let him take his time."

    cont...
Click to expand...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/sfl-miami-heat-greg-oden-s092913,0,4531349.story

 
Upvote 0
Greg Oden practices with Heat
Updated: October 1, 2013
By Brian Windhorst | ESPN.com
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Tuesday was a bit surreal for Miami Heat center Greg Oden.

Not only was he going through his first NBA practice in four years, but it was taking place in the middle of a hotel ballroom on a tropical island.

The Heat opened training camp with a standard, defensive drill-oriented workout in a warehouse-like conference center at the Atlantis Resort. Oden took part in about half of the practice, but that still was a significant step forward as he attempts a long-shot comeback after not playing since December 2009 because of chronic knee problems.

"It felt good just being out there," Oden said. "First time in a while, I'm happy I got it completed. They had to pull me off the floor. But I've got to take steps."

cont...
Click to expand...


http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/mia...eg-oden-miami-heat-practices-first-four-years
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top