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

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Greg Oden's role as student manager with Ohio State basketball, and Thad Matta's debt to a former player

This is much more than a novelty for Matta. While most will add it to the fallen mighty narrative of Oden's basketball career, Matta sees this as something much more.

"I want Greg Oden around here," Matta said. "I go back to when I first started here, and the first guys I went to see on July 8 were Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook. You think back to where the program was at that point, and the chance that a guy like Greg took to come to Ohio State. I'm obviously indebted to him for the rest of my life."
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"From the perspective of everything he's been through, just in terms of the injuries that he's had and not being able to fulfill his dream, that touches me," Matta said. "I think getting him back in the program, and back in school, Greg is as happy as I've ever seen him right now. We're very excited to have him around, because he's very knowledgeable and he's great with people. I think it will be a great thing for our program to have him around."
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This could all change in a couple months because Matta does not think that Greg is done playing basketball either overseas or even possibly in the NBA
 
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Greg Oden's Return to Ohio State Benefits Everyone in the Buckeye Program

The former big man is back in Columbus and working with the team he once nearly led to the promise land.

Greg Oden's got a new seat on the Buckeye bench.

Standing at 7 feet tall and weighing 273 pounds, the biggest student manager in college basketball. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Greg Oden!

The former Buckeye center is back at Ohio State and working with the basketball team, but this time in a very new role. The last time Oden was an official member of the OSU program, he was walking off the court at the Georgia Dome defeated but with the world at his feet.

Oden spent his one collegiate season helping to guide Thad Matta’s Buckeye team to the national championship game where the Scarlet and Gray were beaten by Florida 84-75. Oden then went on to be the top pick in the NBA Draft that summer before beginning a career that was always stuck in the mud.

After spending an injury-plagued five years with the Portland Trailblazers, Oden has bounced around, including spending last season in China, but last week Ohio State officially announced Oden as a student manager as he returns to help Matta.

“Just as long as he can get my coffee on time,” the head coach joked of Oden. “Make sure that things are set up for practice.”

For both parties, it’s almost as if things have come full circle. While Matta had success at Ohio State before Oden arrived on campus in the fall of 2006, it was that season that really put the Buckeyes on the map.

“You think back to where the program was at that point, the chance that a guy like Greg took to come to Ohio State,” Matta said. “I’m obviously indebted for the rest of my life to him.”

Entire article: http://theozone.net/Ohio-State/Mens...io-State-Benefits-Everyone-in-Buckeye-Program
 
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Former No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden back with Buckeyes as student-coach

Greg Oden, the 7-footer selected No. 1 overall in the 2007 NBA draft, has come full circle.

He's back with the Ohio State Buckeyes, helping head coach Thad Matta. This time, however, Oden is a student-coach instead of the unstoppable force on the floor that resulted in his being selected ahead of Kevin Durant by the Portland Trail Blazers.

"I wanted to stay around basketball, and coach gave me a lifeline to be here," Oden told the Indianapolis Star on Thursday. "To give me something to do with my afternoons.

"I'm still trying to figure out my life. Since I've been in fourth grade, all I've known was basketball. I'm just trying to better myself and work on my degree and set something up for the future of my family."
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The 28-year-old Oden is realistic in realizing he's done playing basketball.

"I wish," Oden told the Star. "It's over."

After recently becoming a father, Oden is trying to shape the next phase of his life. The Ohio State sophomore is majoring in sports industry.

"I wouldn't say I regret anything," Oden told the paper. "I would say I just wish I did things better."

Entire article: http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...g-oden-back-ohio-state-buckeyes-student-coach
 
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Posting the below in a few of the players' threads in the hope that more people will click on these and vote. Craft is a member of the OSU Alumni team for The Basketball Tournament, and there is a fan component where if they win and enough of you different BKBs vote USING BN27s LINK BELOW then BP may be able to win some money off of it. You get to cheer on Buckeye alumni and potentially make money for BP for doing nothing... sounds perfect, really.

BuckeyeNation27 said:
Well the deadline is coming up, and I know the bosses are busy.....so here's a link to join and vote for The Scarlet & Gray. It will give me points as a recruiter. If they win the whole thing, any money that "I" win will be donated to BP.
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