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

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com$

7/5/05

Oden will be participating in the ABCD camp this week in Teaneck, NJ.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

rivals.com$

7/6/05

Good Article about Matta and Company hitting the three major summer camps going on during July. The staff can evaluate from July 6-15 and July 22-31, with July 16-21 considered a "dark" period. Article touches on who could be the next addition to the 2006 class.

The following prospects of interest to Buckeye fans will be in action...

Greg Oden
Mike Conley
Daequan Cook
Jamil Tucker (could be the next verbal to the 2006 class)
Luke Harangody
Thaddeus Young
Josh Chichester
Raymar Morgan
Kosta Koufus
O.J. Mayo
Bill Walker
Keenan Ellis
Lance Thomas
Dallas Lauderdale
DeJuan Pursley
Aaron Pogue
Eric Gordon
Yancey Gates
B.J. Mullens

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

link

7/6/05

HACKENSACK, N.J., July 5 - When the Ohio State basketball team upset top-ranked Illinois on March 6 to foil the Illini's bid for an undefeated season, Buckeyes fans stormed the court and celebrated as if their team had just won the national title.

Four months later, that victory seems like the impetus behind Ohio State's putting together a recruiting class for 2006-7 that may be capable of doing just that.

The night before that triumph, Ohio State Coach Thad Matta traveled to Indianapolis to recruit the 7-foot center Greg Oden and point guard Mike Conley Jr., two of the nation's top high school players, who will be entering their senior season in the fall.

They both noticed Matta in the stands at their game and watched with interest the next day when the Buckeyes upset Illinois. Oden and Conley, close friends since sixth grade, verbally committed to Ohio State last week.

"I think that game was the turning point," Conley said of the victory over Illinois. "To see him at the game the night before was awesome. He didn't get back until 1 a.m. He definitely knows how to get your attention."

Oden and Conley join the 6-foot-5 wing guards Daequan Cook of Dayton and David Lighty of Cleveland to give Ohio State a freshman class for 2006 that has coaches and recruiting experts drawing comparisons to Michigan's Fab Five of the early 1990's. All four members of Ohio State's freshman class, which could still grow, are considered to be among the top 25 high school players in the country.

Oden, Conley and Cook will be playing this week at the Reebok ABCD Camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where talk of a gathering juggernaut has already started.

"These guys are going to be expected to play on a Monday night in April," the recruiting analyst Dave Telep of scout.com said in a telephone interview. "When you put four guys together like this, there's expectations of being something special."

Oden, who weighs 260 pounds, is considered the linchpin of the class, the difference between its being very good and transcendent. For more than two years, Oden has been considered a lock to be the top pick in the 2006 N.B.A. draft. But now that the collective bargaining agreement will bar high school players from going directly to the N.B.A., Oden will not get the immediate chance at the pros.

Instead, he will take his 3.6 grade point average to Ohio State, where he plans to major in accounting and will leave N.B.A. personnel breathless for his arrival in the league.

During the past two seasons, despite all the hype, the soft-spoken Oden had insisted that he was headed to college. Now that the new rules are forcing him to, Oden is happy the distraction is gone, but he insists nothing has changed.

"I already knew what decision I wanted to make," Oden said. "The new rule had nothing to do with that. It would have been my decision if they didn't make the rule."

The veteran recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski sat in on three classes Tuesday at the start of ABCD Camp, and Oden happened to be in them. Konchalski said that Oden sat in the front row of each class and maintained eye contact with the teachers throughout.

When the classes ended, Oden went up and shook the teachers' hands and thanked them.

"What really makes him special," Konchalski said, "is that he's old school."

Konchalski added, "Greg Oden is the biggest recruit in Ohio State history since Clark Kellogg in 1979 and maybe since Jerry Lucas in 1958."

Oden and Conley played at Lawrence North High School of Indianapolis for Jack Keefer, a savvy veteran who coached center Eric Montross, who won a national championship at North Carolina in 1993 and played in the N.B.A. from 1994-2002.

Oden is thrilled to be with Conley, the son of Mike Conley, who won the gold medal in the triple jump at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and has served as the A.A.U. coach for Oden and Conley.

Conley has his father's athleticism and a chemistry with Oden. They have played A.A.U. ball the past few years with Cook, who has been compared to Ray Allen. Cook could have also been an early-entry candidate if the N.B.A. had not changed its rules.

Lighty did not play A.A.U. ball with the other three, but he earned a reputation on the circuit with his stunning athleticism.

The senior Conley said in a telephone interview Monday that he thought the character of the class would help it mesh.

"They have remarkable talent, but all those guys are also great teammates," he said. "You need that in order to become successful at any level of sports."

But talent is also needed, and Matta may not have to look very far to find Ohio State's next big recruit. Sharing a bedroom right now with Oden is his younger brother Anthony, who is entering his sophomore year in high school and is 6-8 and 250 pounds.

"The walls there are getting smaller every day," the elder Conley said.

</NYT_TEXT>

link

7/6/05

HACKENSACK - Greg Oden is the No. 1 ranked basketball player in the Class of 2006. Just don't tell him that.

The 7-foot, 250-pound shy and humble center from Indianapolis says that title belongs to Darrell Arthur, a 6-9 power forward from Dallas who will likely wind up in The Big 12.

"I do not think I'm a superstar," Oden said. "I just look at myself as a 7-foot kid who right now wants to stay a kid and develop his game to make it to the highest level he can possibly play at."
Still, humble as ever, Oden can't argue that he is not the most talked-about high school basketball player in the country. He's at Fairleigh Dickinson University this week for the ABCD Camp with 180 other players, but this camp is all about Oden, just like it was for an injured Lebron James three years ago.

"I think Greg is more prepared than any kid because he doesn't give a damn about it," said camp director Sonny Vaccaro, who added that the last big man he remembers ever receiving this amount of attention was Lew Alcindor 40 years ago (before he became known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

"A lot of kids revel in it, but if he didn't do one interview this week he wouldn't think anything of that," Vaccaro said. "He's been getting this hype for a few years now; it's not like this morning he woke up and it was here."

<!-- INFO BOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=8 cellPadding=4 width=200 align=right valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=lightcolor cellpadding="4">[font=arial,helvetica][size=-1]If you go
<HR>What: ABCD Camp

Where: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Rothman Center, Hackensack

When: Today through Saturday

Schedule: There are two sessions of games from today through Friday. Session 1 is from 2 to 5 p.m. and Session 2 runs from 7 to 10 p.m. The All-Star games are Saturday afternoon beginning at 3 for the underclassmen and 4:30 for the seniors.

Price: $5 for each session of games; $10 for both All-Star games. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

[/size][/font]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- /INFO BOX -->
However, Oden's national profile has grown since last month because of something he can't do. He won't be allowed to enter the NBA draft next year because a rule under the new labor agreement that requires players from the United States to wait a year after their high school class graduates to enter the league.

To that, Oden said, so what?

Even though he was already the consensus No. 1 pick, Oden said he would have opted for college. He and high school teammate Mike Conley gave verbal commitments to Ohio State last week.

"I already committed to Ohio State, which was my plan from the beginning," Oden said. "At the start I wasn't a fan of the rule because there are some kids good enough to go, but I don't look at myself as one of them. The people I worry about are O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker [two top players in the Class of 2007]. They're good enough to go right now."

Vaccaro says Oden is being sincere.

"If the rule would have remained the same, he could have obviously changed, but he's been consistent and honest and sincere about it," Vaccaro said. "Greg never flaunted his natural ability to anybody. He still says he has to learn."

In fact, when discussing Ohio State, Oden talked about education, a topic often passé these days for players of his age and talent level.

"They have a great accounting school," Oden said. "I want to get my education to develop into a smart young man."

However, what Oden really hopes to do in at least one year of college basketball is to develop an offensive game to match his strong defense.

"He has great shot-blocking ability," said Mayo, the No. 1 ranked player in the Class of 2007. "He really can change the way things are in the paint."

Oden, who has been called a David Robinson clone, said to become a complete player like Tim Duncan he needs to improve his jump shot, hands and quickness on the offensive end. And, while he is also strong with long, sculpted arms, Oden believes he's too lean for the NBA.

"When I go, I want to be good," Oden said. "I want to make an impact."

E-mail: [email protected]

<!-- end disp_story_with_OAS_ad -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

indystar

7/7/05

July 7, 2005



Shoe carnival
Reebok banks on landing Oden

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By Jeff Rabjohns
<SCRIPT language=JavaScript><!--document.write(''+'jeff.rabjohns'+'@'+'indystar.com'+'');//--></SCRIPT>[email protected]



TEANECK, N.J. -- For more than two years, Reebok has been building a relationship with Greg Oden.

The shoe company has sponsored Oden's AAU team and his high school. Conventional wisdom said the 7-foot center from Lawrence North would be the No. 1 pick in the 2006 NBA draft, and Reebok would be positioned to sign "The Next Big Thing" to an endorsement contract.

Last Wednesday, Oden announced he would play basketball at Ohio State, which has a contract for its basketball teams to wear Nike apparel.

Oden has long maintained he planned to attend college, but top high school stars no longer have a choice to go from the preps to the NBA. The league's new rules say players aren't eligible for the draft until a year after their high school class graduates.

Those new guidelines change the game not only for players, NBA teams and colleges, but also for endorsement-seekers, particularly shoe companies, which spend hundreds of millions of dollars to put players in their brand.

When players could go preps-to-pros, shoe companies could build a relationship, knowing a player likely wouldn't have contact with another company.

Now, it's different.

"I don't worry about it," Oden said Wednesday after a strong showing in the first round of games at Reebok's ABCD Camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

"I'm just worried about playing and improving. I ain't going to worry about shoes."

This week marked the start of the July evaluation period, when college coaches are allowed by NCAA rules to watch players. The evaluation period begins with three national camps that operate simultaneously and are sponsored by shoe companies: Nike in Indianapolis, Reebok in New Jersey and Adidas near Atlanta.

The Reebok ABCD camp is run by the don of the shoe wars, Sonny Vaccaro, who rose to prominence when he got Michael Jordan for Nike in the mid 1980s.

Reebok, Vaccaro's current employer, is in its second year of running the ABCD Camp, which started in 1984.

Vaccaro said he's not worried about a player wearing another company's gear while in college, though conspiracy theories have abounded that he steered players to certain colleges to keep them with a particular brand.

"That never bothered me, even when I was representing Nike and people said I was sending all my kids to Nike schools, or when I went to Adidas and it took us 10 years to get half the (basketball) population," Vaccaro said.

"Reebok doesn't have one college, so what the hell. I shouldn't end up with any kids. They're going to college somewhere."

Nike and Adidas pay colleges to outfit certain athletic programs. Reebok does not.

Vaccaro has gone to great lengths to build relationships with players. He lived in New York for six months to be close to the Bryant family while Kobe Bryant was in high school in Pennsylvania. Those relationships alone, Vaccaro said, don't translate into a player signing with him.

"That was always a misnomer," Vaccaro said as noise from three games bounced into the hallway at Fairleigh Dickinson University. "When I ran Adidas and Nike, what I said was, 'I'll win ties.' But I could never make up millions of dollars in contracts. If it was close, the kids end up with me.

"Tracy (McGrady) could have gotten more. Kobe could have gotten more. Michael, no one really offered him at the time because it was all different.

"The kids would come because there was a relationship, yes. The relationship means something to a point. After that, you pay cash."

No guarantees

Connections early on between a player and a shoe company sometimes don't mean much.

LeBron James signed a $90 million deal with Nike before he was the No. 1 draft pick in 2003 out of an Ohio high school. He played at ABCD when it was run by Adidas.

Mike Conley Sr. coaches the AAU team that includes his son, Mike, Oden and Daequan Cook of Dayton, Ohio; all are headed to Ohio State.

Conley Sr. shrugged off any relevance of a player from a Reebok AAU team going to a Nike school.

"One has zero to do with the other," Conley Sr. said, noting that Reebok doesn't sponsor colleges.

Reebok has made a concentrated effort to build a relationship with Oden.

During Wednesday's announcement, Oden and Conley put on Ohio State hats while sitting in front of a Reebok backdrop, not at all uncommon in recruiting announcements.

When Lawrence North won last season's Class 4A state title, Reebok team sales representative Jim DeSalle opened a box of state championship T-shirts -- which included the Reebok logo -- and tossed them to the players.

At various times, DeSalle has been the one to hand Oden a magic marker after games as fans line up for autographs.

Will it all pay off?

Or will someone else simply pay more?

indystar

7/7/05

July 7, 2005


Opponent says Oden keeps getting better

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"He just gets more dominant and more dominant," said Lance Thomas, a 6-8 forward from New Jersey, whose team lost to Oden's 67-55 Wednesday. "Last year, he was dominant. This year, he's unstoppable. There's nothing you can do.

"If you try to keep him away from the rim, he's going to hit that 15-foot bank shot. He just goes to work, he punches it toward the rim every time and if he's under there, there's nothing you can do."

Oden had game highs of 12 points and nine rebounds as his Sonics beat Thomas' Mavericks. In his second game, Oden had 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in a 71-29 victory. He was 12-for-15 from the field on the day. (Camp rules state everyone plays at least two quarters, so no one actually plays more than two.)

Etc.

Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley was fifth in assists after the first day, averaging 4.5 per game, out of the 200 players. He had seven in the first game. . . . Oden had three spectacular dunks in the fourth quarter of the first game, including one where he missed a jump shot in traffic, landed, jumped back up quicker than everyone and threw it down two-handed.

 

[wadc45]

http://transcripts.usatoday.com/Chats/transcript.aspx?c=101

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>indianapolis,indiana: Even though you have always said you were going to college,did this nba ruling take away that option if you wanted to use it?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: It didn't have any impact. I always knew I wanted to go to college from the beginning.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>ogden utah: Why Ohio state what makes them more special then Wake Forest or Michigan state</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I had a list of things that I liked and didn't like and Ohio State had the most of things I did like. Plus, having Mike (Conley) and Daequan (Cook) there helped out a lot.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Ft Worth Texas: Who is your favorite NBA team and what player do you admire the most?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I like the Heat and the Pacers. Shaq and Tim Duncan are the two players I follow the most. I like that Tim is quiet off the court. Shaq is a real funny guy. I like both of their games on the court.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Grafton, Wisconsin : Greg, do you see yourself as a center or power forward in the NBA? I see you as being the next real big man in the middle. Keep growing! you've got great potential, looking forward to seeing you excel in the NBA.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I really haven't thought far ahead. The furthest ahead I have thought is my first year at Ohio State. Right now I am focused on my final year of high school.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>martinsville in.: i am from indiana every one felt you would go to indiana because of mike davis the coach have you talked to coach davis since your commitment to ohio state??</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I haven't have talked to him since. but I talked to him before I made the announcement. I just felt the most comfortable at Ohio State.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>OROFINO,IDAHO: Greg, Do you know or have you heard from Herb Williams who was one of the more famous big men to play at OSU?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I'm not that familar with him or a lot of the former Ohio State players. Now that the summer is here, I can start doing some research about where I am going.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>lincoln park NJ.: Greg..... Do you plan on staying at Ohio State for only one year and then going in the NBA draft? Have you discussed this with your coach?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: First, I want to get my education. As far as on the court, however long it takes for me to get my game NBA-ready. Right now the plan is to go for all four years.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Cincinnati, Ohio: With your recent decision to verbally commit to OSU, are you concerned about any potential punishment from the NCAA in response to the actions of the previous coaching staff?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: No. I talked it over with my parents. I'm pretty confident it won't affect our class' postseason.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Canon City CO: Greg, What part of your game needs the greatest improvement before starting your play in the Big 10?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: The biggest improvement will be offense. I also need to improve on defense and quickness.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Canon City CO: Greg, Do you think your game is more like Amare Stoudemire or Shaq?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I wish. I know I am nowhere near those guys. You try to pattern your game after those guys, but it is impossible. What you try to do is improve the best you can.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>columbus oh: You kind of favor a young looking bill russell and when watching your highlights you seem defensive minded first with the potential to score when needed. Is that what your game is at right now? p.s. nice stroke on that j too - paul muhammad</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: Somebody told me I played like Robert Parrish. My game is just focused on what it takes to win.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>winchester ,va: did you play aau ball</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: My AAU team is Spiece Indy Heat. I play with Mike and Daequan on that team. We haven't have played that many tournaments because of all the camps during the summer. The next tournament is in Miami.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Bellevue, OH: Greg, Any thoughts on what Big Ten team your most looking forward to playing, and having a rivalry with? Double B</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I haven't thought that far ahead. I know it will be bad when we play Indiana. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Dayton, Ohio: What is a goal you would like to accomplish while in college?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: First, getting my education and becoming a man. On the court, getting stronger and improving my game to the best it can be.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Orlando, Florida: Greg, any ideas on who might fill out this OSU class?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I have no idea. I know the four of us already committed (Mike, Daquan and Devin Lightly). Not sure who the other one might be.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Atlanta, GA: Who is the toughest player you faced this year?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: O.J. Mayo. We try to get stops against him. Whenever he shoots it seems automatic. There's nothing we can do about.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Los Angeles, CA: How do you stay in shape? Are you on any special type of diet? </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I try not drink pop, but sometimes it gets to me. If they don't have juice around, though it is hard.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Long Beach, CA: What drills do you suggest my high school son should in order to improve his footwork and rebounding? How did you improve these important parts of your game?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: Blockout drils are the best thing. That's the way to get rebounds even if you are not big or cannot jump.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR><TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Comment from Greg Oden: Thanks for having me. It was fun to answer the questions.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Rivals $

7/7/05

From RivalsHoops.com...Greg Oden versus Kevin Love was one of the highlights of the 1st session. Another day at the office for Oden...Love was visibily frustrated finishing with 7 points on just 3-11 shooting (1-5 on 3s), 3 boards and 3 TOs. Oden, meanwhile, dropped 12 points on 6-7 shooting and pulled down 9 boards. Ho hum...

Keep in mind each player only plays half of a game...which makes Oden's stats even more impressive...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com$

7/7/05

Oden is averaging 14.0 and 9.0 rebounds in two games at the ABCD.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

link

7/7/05

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">COMMENTARY: OSU basketball talk of the town

<!--REPLACE WITH TEASER-->


By Jon Shecket The Lantern

Columbus, OH (U-WIRE) -- Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of traveling to Indianapolis at The Lantern's expense to report on the verbal commitments of Lawrence North High School center Greg Oden and point guard Mike Conley, Jr. to play basketball at Ohio State. One day I will tell my grandchildren that I was there the day that OSU began to emerge as a "basketball school."

That's not to say that the mighty King Football will be relinquishing his throne. There will be no jumping into Mirror Lake in February, no Script Ohio on the hardwood, and the millionaire lawyers that populate the Schottenstein Center still won't make any significant noise until late in the second half.

What has changed, however, is OSU has a coach in Thad Matta who has the charisma and the vision necessary to recruit top young athletic talents. For the first time in memory, instead of rebuilding, the Buckeyes will be reloading.

Oden and Conley joined guards Daequan Cook of Dayton and David Lighty of Cleveland in committing to OSU. In addition, 6-foot-8-inch, 205-pound small forward Josh Chichester of Lakota West became the latest member of the class Sunday, committing to play both basketball and football.

There potentially could be one more big name small forward. Possibilities include 6-foot-8-inch Thaddeus Young of Memphis, Tenn., and 6-foot-9-inch Jamil Tucker of Gary, Ind.

No matter what happens, the "Thad Five" (or six) have already generated plenty of hype. A palpable buzz is spreading around the water coolers, dinner tables and online message boards throughout the Buckeye nation. It is as though a national championship is already in the bag for 2006-07. In the meantime, there is much to look forward to in the upcoming season.

The Buckeyes will be led by four capable seniors: guards J.J. Sullinger and Je'Kel Foster, center Terence Dials, and clutch forward Matt Sylvester. Together, the four averaged 41.3 points per game last season. <!-- STORY AD BEGINS HERE -->

New additions include 6-foot-9-inch power forward Brayden Bell, junior college transfer and shooting guard Sylvester Mayes and ex-Bowling Green guard Ron Lewis.


Best of all, the self-enforced post-season ban will no longer be in effect, potentially allowing Buckeye fans their first taste of March Madness in four years.

With all of the excitement surrounding the team itself, this is just as good a time as any for the OSU Department of Athletics to do the things fans have long asked for.

First, it's time to improve the game-day atmosphere at the Schottenstein Center. The NutHouse should be moved from behind the west basket to the front rows along the length of the court. This might ruffle the feathers of the aforementioned millionaire lawyers, but home-court advantage is well worth the cost.

Second, who wouldn't love to watch the Buckeyes play Cincinnati, Xavier or Dayton? Too many years have passed since OSU last played a quality in-state opponent. Win or lose, it pays to give players as much big-game experience as possible.

Third, it's time to bring back "Midnight Madness." Big-time college basketball is supposed to be exciting, so kick the season off with a party. With the personnel this team will have, it can end the season the same way.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[schwab]

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Orlando, Florida: Greg, any ideas on who might fill out this OSU class?</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>Greg Oden: I have no idea. I know the four of us already committed (Mike, Daquan and Devin Lightly). Not sure who the other one might be.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


I don't imagine Oden himself named the other players who have committed. Spelled Daequan wrong, and Devin Lightly??? What's the deal? lol

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

At the first day of the ABCD camp...Oden dominated......getting position in the post and causing havoc on the defensive end of the court.

rivals.com$

7/8/05

Oden dominated, Kevin Love, a 6-9 Junior to be from Oregon. Oden was unstoppable in the post only missing one shot.

 

[CleveBucks]

I don't imagine Oden himself named the other players who have committed. Spelled Daequan wrong, and Devin Lightly??? What's the deal? lol

These guys don't actually sit down and type up their answers in these chats. Whoever was doing the transcribing for Oden must not follow recruiting too much.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

indystar

7/8/05

July 8, 2005



College coaches see flaws in new NBA eligibility rules
Calipari, Pitino say players still have many ways of bypassing NCAA play for pros.

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By Jeff Rabjohns
<SCRIPT language=JavaScript><!--document.write(''+'jeff.rabjohns'+'@'+'indystar.com'+'');//--></SCRIPT>[email protected]



TEANECK, N.J. -- With Greg Oden's college decision announced, the eyes of the basketball recruiting world are starting to drift to the top player in the next class.

Cincinnati shooting guard O.J. Mayo hasn't seriously narrowed his choice of colleges. He hasn't even narrowed his choice to college.

"My options are open," said the No. 1 player in the Class of 2007. "A lot of people are saying the NBDL, going to college, going overseas, going to one of those year-round workout places.

"Right now, my thing is to be a kid and better my skills."

The National Basketball Development League?

For a top high school player?

It's part of the reality of basketball after the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, which opened a Pandora's box of loopholes that could, in the eyes of some college coaches, harm the college game by creating a true minor league basketball system.

The new rules require a U.S. player to be one year out of high school before entering the NBA draft, which was heralded by many as a boon to the college game. But they also lower the age requirement in the NBDL, known as the D-League, to 18 and expand the teams' rosters. So, high school players can still go directly to the D-League and make money.

NBDL's salaries are approximately $35,000 per year, but since they would be professionals, players could also receive endorsement deals, and agents could forward the players enormous sums based on anticipated future earnings.

"For somebody to say this is good for college basketball, they haven't looked at it," Memphis coach John Calipari said Thursday afternoon as he waited for games to start at the Reebok ABCD Camp.

Calipari mused about the following scenario: An NBDL team signs a star player such as Oden right out of high school and sells loads of tickets while trumpeting the presence of a future NBA star.

"Why would (Oden) not graduate, go to the shoe company and say, 'Who's going to give me a shoe deal?' (So the player receives) $7 million. Then go play in the NBDL for a year and get drafted (by the NBA).

"They're going to have 15 teams. What happens when the NBDL starts going after the top high school players and saying, 'Why don't you come with us?' "

Oden said the scenario might apply to some people, but not to him.

"It's just somebody talking," said Oden, who has committed to Ohio State. "I know I'm going to go to college, get my education, have fun and develop my game the best it can be."

It could, however, apply to Mayo.

Think a player who has been called "The Next LeBron James" wouldn't sell tickets?

College coaches also see ESPN's contract with the NBA and wonder how long it will be before the network begins marketing the NBDL to build interest in players before they head to the NBA.

"What if ESPN kind of ties with the NBDL profitwise and starts putting those guys on a couple (of) nights a week?" Calipari asked.

"Where do they want us, college basketball? Are we too high-profile on our campuses? Are (coaches) paid too much money? Well, minor league basketball will solve that issue."

Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who also has coached in the NBA, agrees the collective bargaining agreement is bad for college basketball.

"It looks like it is helping the college game, but in the end it is not," Pitino said. "Because although they're telling kids to stay out a year, they lowered the NBDL age and enhanced rosters. . . .

"So if a young man isn't interested in going to college, he'll go straight to the NBDL, earn himself $35,000 and try to make it that way."

And the D-League is only one of the concerns.

In last week's NBA draft, Ricky Sanchez, a student at IMG Basketball Academy in Bradenton, Fla., was picked by Portland in the second round. Under the new NBA rules, high school graduates could attend IMG for a year and then be draft-eligible.

"The money isn't necessarily enough for a kid to say, 'I'm going to go so I can provide for my family,' " Kansas coach Bill Self said of the NBDL. "I think the kids that don't want to go to college will go to prep schools or IMGs, places where they can work on their game for another year and not be exposed at the highest level.

"You put an 18-year-old in the NBDL, he can get exposed real fast, which might not make him as attractive. But who knows how this thing is going to play out?"

 

[aurorabuckeye13]

Article about Matta, the program and the recruiting class from SI.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/luke_winn/07/07/ohio.state/index.html

Focus on the future

Buckeyes building for success, putting scandal behind

Posted: Thursday July 7, 2005 9:40AM

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=310 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10>

</TD><TD class=cnnImgAdPad width=300>

Mike Conley, Daequan Cook and Greg Oden are three of the recruits who will enter OSU in 2006.
AP



</TD></TR><TR><TD width=10>

</TD><TD width=300><TABLE class=cnnTMbox cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnIEBoxTitle>OHIO STATE'S CLASS OF 2006</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnTMcontent><TABLE class=cnnTM cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Ps.</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Name</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>Ht.</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>Wt.</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>HS (City)</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px">Rk.</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>C</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Greg Oden</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC><NOBR>7-0</NOBR></TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>235</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Lawrence North (Indianapolis)</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px">1*</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>SG</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Daequan Cook</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>6-5</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>210</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio)</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px">8</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>SF</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>David Lighty</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>6-6</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>205</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Villa Angela St. Joe's (Cleveland)</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px">21</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>PG</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Mike Conley Jr.</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>6-1</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC>165</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL>Lawrence North (Indianapolis)</TD><TD class=cnnIEColTxtC style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px">24</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnTMfooter>* National player rank, according to Scout.com</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD width=10>

</TD><TD width=300></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Thad Matta, while on his way to the opening games of the Reebok ABCD camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University Wednesday, turned to assistant John Groce, laughed and said, "It's amazing what a difference a year makes."

It was the morning of July 7, 2004 -- exactly 365 days ago -- that then Xavier head coach Matta was in Columbus, meeting with OSU athletic director Andy Geiger about the Buckeyes' basketball vacancy. By 6:30 p.m., a deal was done: After consulting with his wife and the Musketeers staff, Matta accepted the job.

The next day, Matta and Groce (who followed him from Xavier to OSU) took a flight to the East Coast and arrived at the '04 ABCD camp in street clothes -- not the customary school-logo attire -- to observe recruits, because as Matta recalled, "we didn't even have any Ohio State gear at the time."

They were anonymous suitors in a gym full of coaches vying for the nation's top prep prospects. Both had, on the heels of an Elite Eight run with the Muskies, given up a successful, private-school squad in the basketball-mad Queen City for a sub-.500, state-U team in football-crazy Columbus -- not to mention a program facing the possibility of heavy NCAA sanctions following the firing of Jim O'Brien, who admitted to paying a recruit $6,700. Matta and Groce traded job security for a new challenge. Their bigger paychecks came with increased pressure to revitalize a once-great -- now scandal-marred -- OSU program.

Return to the present day, and Matta and Groce sit side-by-side in the stands at the '05 ABCD, sporting Buckeyes shirts and gazing happily down at the court, where the fruits of their first-year recruiting efforts are dominating on the camp's Sonics squad. No. 1-overall player (according to Scout.com) Greg Oden, a 7-foot center; No. 8-ranked Daequan Cook, a 6-5 shooting guard; and No. 24-ranked Mike Conley Jr., a 6-1 point guard -- the three golden apples of the Class of 2006 -- have all verbally committed to the Buckeyes. A fourth, No. 21-ranked David Lighty, a 6-5 swingman, is also on board, but is sitting out the camp to rehab a knee injury.

Matta returned respect to OSU during the '04-05 regular season, leading the team to a 20-12 record despite a school-imposed ban on postseason play as a result of the O'Brien violations, and handed Illinois its lone regular-season loss. Matta's recruiting, however, is what has put Buckeye hoops back on the national map. By landing Oden -- who, before the NBA's new age-limit rule was instituted, was expected to be the No. 1 pick in the '06 draft -- and his teammate Conley on June 29, OSU left other recruiting classes in the dust.

"It's amazing how Matta was able to do this -- OSU didn't have any big-name guys, and it all changed pretty quick," said Jeff Goodman, a national recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "There is little chance that OSU won't be No. 1 [in the '06 class rankings]."

Although he is widely believed to be a one-year rental for Matta and the Buckeyes on his way to the NBA, Oden is the crown jewel of OSU's '06 recruiting class, which is being compared to Michigan's famous haul in 1991 -- Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson. Oden, who resembles a young Bill Russell, was dunking at will on opponents in ABCD's morning session Wednesday -- he shot 12-of-15 from the field in two games. "Certainly," said Goodman, the talent OSU has compiled "would compare with the Fab Five."

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=90 align=bottom border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=80></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

The class -- Oden, Conley, Cook and Lighty -- has been tabbed the Thad Five; never mind it's still a quartet. OSU has seven scholarships available for '06, and may use up to six of them. The Buckeyes will likely add a power forward or another center to back up Oden and take the 7-footer's place in the starting lineup once he turns pro.

Matta had an assist in pulling the class together from Conley, the son of 1992 Olympic triple-jump champion Mike Conley. As Oden's omnipresent right-hand-man -- at Lawrence North High, on the Spiece Indy Heat AAU team and at ABCD, where he displayed skill as a passer and ambidextrous shooter in the lane -- Conley has plenty of influence on the blue-chip center. "Once Mike started to want to go [to Ohio State], I knew I wanted to go there, too," Oden said.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=310 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10>

</TD><TD class=cnnStoryCLpad>


</TD></TR><TR><TD width=10>

</TD><TD width=300></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Credit Matta for selling Conley on OSU, impressing the young floor general by attending Lawrence North's sectional championship game March 5, then driving back to Columbus late that evening to knock off No. 1 Illinois the next day. "I watched him coach that game against Illinois, I was amazed to see how he handled himself," Conley said. "Normal coaches would jump around and go crazy -- he tried to stay cool and act like he had done it before."

With this heralded crop of recruits, Matta won't be sneaking up on anyone -- and with Oden likely to be one-and-done, there will be a sense of immediacy to make a tournament run. Cook, a two-guard whose shooting talents have kept him from being overshadowed by his AAU teammates Oden and Conley, is aware of the pressure awaiting in Columbus. "I'm very excited," Cook said at the camp Wednesday, "but there's going to be a lot expected of us when we get there."

Conley and Oden were just as wary of the Fab Five/Thad Five label. "I don't really like it that much -- I'd rather just go to college and be able to play ball," Conley said. "We've got to focus even harder, though, because everyone's comparing us."

The ever-modest Oden -- who regularly insists he's not the best player on the floor, despite visual evidence to the contrary said, "I don't think we're there yet [at a Fab Five level]. ... We haven't even finished our last year of high school."

While the Buckeyes' future foursome worry about the weight of expectations, there is one other concern: whether or not the program will be eligible for the NCAA tournament in the 2006-07 season. All the people involved in the O'Brien scandal are gone from OSU -- the coaches, the athletic director and the players -- and the school voluntarily barred itself from the '04-05 postseason, but the NCAA's official ruling on OSU's penalty won't be revealed until this fall. Oden said the coaches told him it "most likely won't affect our class' postseason" -- but the possibility remains. It is the only cloud still lingering from the mess that created Matta's job opening, and something upon which he would rather not dwell.

"What's happened, happened, and nobody involved with our program now had anything to do with it," Matta said Wednesday. "We're just focused on the future -- and we think the future is going to be in good shape."

One year ago, had Matta made that last statement at his introductory press conference in Columbus, it could've easily been dismissed as run-of-the-mill, optimistic coach-speak. But with Oden and Co. running on the hardwood below at ABCD, and the Buckeye program reinvigorated with hope, when Matta spoke of the future, he was speaking the truth.


Luke Winn covers college sports for SI.com.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

7/8/05

School's not out yet



By JOSH THOMSON
[email protected]
THE JOURNAL NEWS
<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><TABLE width=150 align=right><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE><!-- STORY TEXT --><!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->(Original publication: July 8, 2005)


TEANECK, N.J. — Already, they've labeled him the best-ever high school player in a state that spawned NBA Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird. And his game — steady, fundamental and old-school big — has been labeled life support for the dying breed of NBA centers.

But if anointing Greg Oden the next big thing wasn't enough of a burden to bear, the 7-foot phenom from Indianapolis was recently saddled with another: the poster boy for those now ineligible to declare for the NBA draft before age 19.

You can tell Oden this, as many have, but he'll hardly notice, even after spending much of the last two weeks answering questions on the topic.

In fact, sitting on the bleachers yesterday before a game at ABCD camp in Fairleigh Dickinson University's Rothman Center, the 17-year-old appeared totally unaffected by the NBA's new age limit.

Oden's far too humble to admit that scouts hold him in such high regard.

"It doesn't really bother me because I know there are a lot of other guys who (could) have (had) that choice to go to the NBA straight out of high school," he said. "I always wanted to go to college with the rule or not."

Oden, who is going into his senior year at Lawrence North High School, has already received the highest praise. Some thought he could have been picked first overall in the NBA draft after his junior season if eligible.

"I don't think he's the best center I've ever seen in high school," recruiting and scouting expert Tom Konchalski said. "But he's going to get there because of his attitude."

But a new rule in the recent NBA collective bargaining agreement states that all players must wait another year. They now must be 19 years old and at least a year removed from their senior year of high school in order to declare.

So after he graduates from high school next spring, Oden won't even have the decision available.

"That's the worst part about it," he said. "But there's nothing you can do now."

When Oden speaks about the issue, he is actually speaking for other players. He recently committed to Ohio State and has insisted before and since that he planned on attending college anyway.

Still, his mother, Zoe, wonders why her son lost the ability to choose his path.

"I don't know everything about it, and Greg has always said he wanted to go to college," Zoe Oden said by phone from Indianapolis. "But I'm still having a problem seeing what difference a year makes. I'm just lost with that. Then, at the same time, I can see that it might make a big difference for some kids.

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about that."

Oden is a B-plus student who feels he needs college seasoning, so he won't be stuck pondering secondary options.

Other high school players might. Those who don't have the grades to qualify for college will have to choose among junior college, prep school, pro ball in Europe, or the National Basketball Development League.

The NBDL, the NBA's minor league, will drop its age limit from 20 to 18 with the new agreement. But with salaries around $30,000, it certainly won't lure much 18-year-old talent.

So why not the NBA?

League commissioner David Stern has repeatedly stated the goal is to remove pro scouts from high school gyms. He feels that practice clouds the minds of kids and encourages too many of them to make the jump.

"The very fact that our scouts are there causes more kids to think they are going to be drafted," Stern said at a press conference last month.

Since Kevin Garnett's selection in 1995, the league has been flooded with prep-to-pro stories, some good, some bad. Looking at recent drafts, can't-miss-kids such as Oden have succeeded more often than not: Take Garnett, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James or Amare Stoudemire for example.

Some critics have wondered why teenaged baseball and hockey players out of high school, most of whom sign modest contracts and are primarily white, can turn pro, but basketball players, almost all of whom sign multimillion-dollar deals and are black, cannot.

"Do I think it's racist? I think there's racism in every sport," Zoe Oden said. "Everybody's different. With basketball, they're trying to eliminate some of the black kids from being there.

"So it could be."

Stern said he would prefer a system like the NFL, where draft picks must be three years out of high school.

But on the topic of race, he believes that young foreign players, who are mostly white, will be affected by the change as well.

Either way, the age limit wasn't introduced to protect someone of Oden's talent from the NBA. More likely, the rule will protect those who aren't sure things from the NBA — and the cold, hard seats at the end of NBA benches from them.

"(There is) pressure on our teams to make judgments about 18-year-olds who have never played against a higher brand of competition," Stern said. "And having such players, for the most part, not play a prominent role and replace a veteran, it's not good for our game."

Yesterday, Oden, a churchgoer who speaks softly, displayed the good in his game — skills that made him the national player of the year as a junior. He fought hard for post position and passed out of double teams. And two of his dunks sent the backboard shaking.

But size and ability are just two reasons Oden's potential appears limitless.

"He's a breath of fresh air," Konchalski said. "Now there's such a pronounced sense of entitlement among players. But he's just a normal kid.

"He's a Bill Russell of the new millennium."

The salivating will continue until at least 2007 when Oden becomes eligible for the draft. Until then, he'll leave being a symbol to somebody else.

InsideHoops.com

7/8/05

The 2005 Reebok ABCD camp is ongoing in Teaneck, New Jersey. The biggest name in all of high school basketball, 7-foot center Greg Oden, begins his senior year in the fall. He'd have likely entered the 2006 NBA Draft and been a lottery pick, but with the new NBA age minumum in effect, Greg Oden will be headed to Ohio State University after high school. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner and a few other reporters talked to him Wednesday afternoon, Day 1 of the camp's games. InsideHoops.com is the only place you'll see the full Greg Oden interview.

Question:: What's your focus this year in camp?

Greg Oden: Just to improve, come out here and play my best, be a good team, win all our games, that's basically it.

Question:: Have you gone from a guy chasing after other players to being the guy other guys want to match up to?

Greg Oden: No; I just feel it's a matchup. They don't want to go out there and get dunked on, and neither do I. So we just go out there and we just play hard.

Question:: Did you feel the NBA's age restriction was fair?

Greg Oden: In a way it is, in a way it's not. In a way, there are some players good enough to go. And in a way, I see that they don't want players going who aren't good enough and mess up their life because they mess up their life and can't go to college. It's 50-50.

Question:: And for the level of player that you are, what's your opinion on it?

Greg Oden: I'm not a fan of the rule, but I always wanted to go to college, and I see how that helps me a lot. But I'm already going to college. I don't see why they would put it in based on me.

Question:: How excited are you to move on to the next level and play at Ohio State?

Greg Oden: I'm pretty excited. I'm ready to get this last year of high school over with so I can go to college and see what's going on. I finally met Davis Lighty last night, so he's a cool guy. I haven't seen him play, because I think he tore his ACL.

Question:: Is it different for you playing in this type of event now that you're not jumping right to the NBA and will be in college first?

Greg Oden: Yeah, it's always different, because the players improve, and I hope I've improved. You just want to come out and play your best and make the all-star team; play in the all-star game.

Question:: Did you get any late phone calls after the NBA rule change from colleges trying to recruit you at the last minute?

Greg Oden: No. Same colleges. The only time I talked to them after that rule was telling them that I was making my decision.

Question:: Do you feel for OJ Mayo and other guys who might be good enough to play in the NBA right away?

Greg Oden: Yeah, because they should have that choice. Something could happen to them in college. If they are the players that I think they are, they will do good in college and be able to leave after their first year.

Question:: How would you compare your Ohio State recruiting class to some of the great recruiting classes of all time?

Greg Oden: I don't think we're there yet. Some of the other guys I feel are really great, who can be up there, but we haven't even finished our last year of high school yet. So we just want to do that, and when we get there, we'll see.

Question:: What put Ohio State over the top for you, helping you pick them?

Greg Oden: The campus, the coaches, the players. The distance. Everything that I liked about other colleges there were one or two things that I didn't like.

Question:: Some college coaches think that some kids who don't want to go to college may go to the D-league for a year, or prep school. Have you heard players talking about that stuff? Do you think some guys would go to the NBDL for a year?

Greg Oden: Some guys just don't like school, or aren't good at school, so they'll probably do what they think is best for them.

Question:: Are players here talking about the rule?

Greg Oden: Not really. I haven't really talked to the players that much. I'm a quiet guy. I go to my room and sleep, back at the hotel, so I don't really hear about it.

Question:: Talk about your development as a player from last year to this year.

Greg Oden: I've been doing a lot of shooting. But I'm still not that confident with my shot, yet.

Question:: Once you're in the NBA, what type of player do you see yourself becoming? A specific player or a few players.

Greg Oden: I love Carlos Boozer's game. I love his game. He gets those dirty points, them offensive rebounds. That's something I want to do. But I also know that I have a lot of people looking at me, and I'm seven feet, and I'm just going to develop my offensive game as much as possible.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com$

7/8/05

At the ABCD camp....In two games Oden had a combined 19 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks. The most dominating player at the camp by all accounts.

(remember, everyone only plays two quarters.)

scout.com$

7/8/05

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>With America's No. 1 player, Greg Oden, in the fold, Buckeye fans are hanging on his every word. Oden joined ESPNews for a Friday interview, along with Cincinnati North College Hill's OJ Mayo. In 2004-05, Mayo became the second sophomore in state history to win Ohio's Mr. Basketball Award (LeBron James). He is ranked as the nation's premier underclassman.
</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

The article basically centers around the NBA ruling. Oden continues to say that the ruling did not really have an impact on him. When asked about how long he will stay at OSU, he said he wants to get his education and he will leave when he is NBA ready concerning basketball.

 

[HabaneroBuck]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="18" width="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top">
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!-- HEADLINE & TIMESTAMP --> <!-- ARTICLE HEADLINE --> Indiana press is just going to cover Ohio State soon. They follow Oden's every footstep! Here's a good highlight...

July 9, 2005

ABCD CAMP NOTES
Oden wins his personal battle

<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><!-- STORY TEXT --> <!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT--> By Jeff Rabjohns
<script language="JavaScript"> <!-- document.write( ''+'jeff.rabjohns'+'@'+'indystar.com'+''); //--> </script>[email protected]

TEANECK, N.J. -- In the summer basketball version of Ali-Frazier II, Greg Oden and Derrick Caracter went head-to-head Friday night.

It was a repeat of the best matchup from last year's Reebok ABCD Camp -- and one of the most talked about from all of 2004 -- so it didn't need any additional billing. Still, Caracter stoked the fire by taking a shot at Oden in a New Jersey paper with the comment, "The whole week is like having a good meal, and going up against him, it's like having ice cream on top of everything. I want to finish it with a big statement."

The statement was made.

By Oden.

Lawrence North's 7-foot center backed Caracter down in the block, hit turnaround jumpers over him and was dominant on defense as his team won 79-54.

Oden shot 5-for-7 from the floor for 12 points to go with four rebounds and three blocked shots. He had just one turnover.

The 6-9, 270-pound Caracter, who made only two of his first 11 shots, finished 5-for-13 from the field for a cosmetic 13 points. He had four rebounds, no blocks and five turnovers.

"I think he got the upper hand on the matchup," said a humbled Caracter, who plays at St. Patrick's in New Jersey and had most of the standing-room-only crowd on his side early. "He was going inside. He was quick, using his body. He's gotten a lot stronger."

By the third quarter, the partisan fans had switched sides, screaming "Give him the ball" when Oden's teammates didn't pass.

"He outplayed me a lot," Oden said of last year's meeting. "But this year is now, and we won the game. That's all that matters."

Oden's team, now 6-0, faces a team led by O.J. Mayo, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2007, at 9:30 a.m. today.

"I don't worry about individuals," said Oden, who is committed to Ohio State. "I come here to improve and make my teammates better. If I can help my teammates have an undefeated championship, that's great."

Caracter, who says he's picking between Louisville and Memphis, and Oden could meet again in the seniors all-star game at 3:30 p.m.

"Greg is a hell of a player," Caracter said. "He's long, athletic. He's a lot to deal with. He changes a lot of shots. He runs. He jumps. He's the whole package."

Oden decides to get physical

In his afternoon game, Oden had 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting to go with eight rebounds in a physical and testy battle with Wayne Chism, a 6-8, 230-pounder from Bolivar, Tenn. Chism, ranked 25th in the incoming senior class, finished with eight points and three rebounds as Oden's team won 88-78.

On one play, Chism shoved Oden. Then Oden was called for a foul for lowering his shoulder on a post move. Later, with Chism leaning on him, Oden gathered a pass and flipped the ball to Jamie Skeen for a 3-pointer.

"He's strong, and sometimes when you play strong guys you have to fight back," Oden said.

College coaches can't comment publicly on players due to NCAA rules, but some said privately they were impressed to see Oden jump into a physical battle one minute, then make an under control play the next.

Family comes 1st

Oden declined an invitation to play on USA Basketball's under-21 team this summer because of a family conflict. Team trials and training run July 21-Aug. 1, and games are Aug. 5-14 in Argentina.

"They're going to be doing it the only chance I get to go to Buffalo to see my dad," Oden said.

He's media savvy

Don't worry about the media crush that will come in college and the NBA for Oden. It's already here.

On Friday, in addition to drills in the morning and playing games in the afternoon and evening, Oden had a full slate of media duties.

He, Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley and fellow Ohio State recruit Daequan Cook went through multiple poses for a photo shoot for USA Today.

Between games, Oden sat in a makeshift studio for a series of TV interviews via satellite with ESPN and local and national stations.