Indianapolis star Oden biding his time before he can earn NBA riches
By Steve Brand
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 28, 2006
A year from now, Greg Oden will be confronted with a life-changing decision – join the NBA by accepting what probably will be a $15 million deal or return to Ohio State University.
To the surprise of absolutely no one who knows him, the 7-foot-1 senior, who on Saturday led Indianapolis Lawrence North High to its third consecutive state 4A championship, isn't obsessing over the future.
“I don't think about it a whole lot,” said the soft-spoken Oden, who will play for the East in tomorrow's McDonald's All American High School Basketball Games at Cox Arena.
“I want to be there one day and I'm grateful that people think I could play in the NBA, but it's not that big of a deal now.”
Oden is the kind of player NBA teams covet, but a new rule that goes into effect this year prohibits clubs from drafting players until one year after their high school class graduates and they turn 19.
He certainly has NBA size – 260 pounds – and after watching him glide up and down the court, racing the 6-5 players to the ball, it's easy to see he's something special.
If Oden were eligible for this year's draft – where he is still rated No. 1 on Internet sites over Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge and Connecticut's Rudy Gay – he would certainly get more than the $13.5 million top pick Andrew Bogut signed for last year with Milwaukee. Bogut was a college player.
When the Orlando Magic drafted Dwight Howard out of high school (Atlanta Christian Academy) in 2004, Howard signed for $11.2 million.
Of course, there is always the possibility a shoe company might be interested, and then whatever pro basketball pays Oden will jingle in the pocket by comparison.
Remember LeBron James' $90 million contract with Nike?
So who could turn down that kind of money? Those who know Oden say nothing would surprise them.
“If he, in his own mind, feels he's learned enough to go to the NBA, then it's dollars and cents and he isn't stupid,” said Jack Keefer, his high school coach. “Education is his No. 1 goal, and he doesn't want to learn in the NBA.
“If he was eligible for the draft, he'd probably be the No. 1 choice, but he's the kind of kid who doesn't want to rush into anything. I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed more than one year at Ohio State, but he'll make the right choice when the time comes.”
Keefer has been at Lawrence North for 30 years and has had three 7-footers. He doesn't hesitate to say Oden is the best he's coached, if for no other reason than despite all of the attention and accolades, Oden remains humble and unselfish.
Almost to a fault.
“You almost have to push him to shoot sometimes,” said Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley Jr., son of Olympic gold medal triple-jumper Mike Conley, who not only will be playing in the McDonald's game but will be going to Ohio State with Oden.
“But when it comes to what he'll do next year, he'll make whatever the best decision is for him. I don't know how I'd react if I was in his position.”
Oden has big enough numbers. His 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks a game are stellar, but Keefer, who noted that one night his star center had 16 blocks in a game, prefers to point out that this year's opponents shot a paltry 32 percent from the field because they were forced to take long-range attempts rather than challenge Oden inside.
He has almost as many awards as points, too.
Oden won the 2006 Morgan Wootten Award for the national All American Player of the Year by McDonald's after being selected
Parade magazine's Player of the Year as a junior.
In four years his teams have lost just four games – two to an unbeaten Pike team as a freshman and one each his sophomore and junior years when Conley was unable to play.
This year's team went 29-0 and was ranked No. 1 wire-to-wire by virtually every service.
All of which Oden takes in his giant stride, displaying little brashness.
“You immediately see the difference here,” said Oden, who joined his McDonald's teammates late after taking an early-morning flight Sunday to San Diego and then trying to get caught up.
“In high school I was just about the only one who could dunk. All of these guys can play, so my goal will be to get a rebound and make a pass or two and try to play as hard as I can against the best high school players in the country.”
He's not kidding.
When he did practice, Oden made an immediate impact. In a scrimmage, not only did he slam effortlessly several times but showed a side of the game even some of the pros seem to have forgotten – defense.
First, he neutralized his man, and when one of the guards drove into the lane he refused to bite on one and then two fakes before quietly swatting the ball away.
No celebration, no grandstanding.
But what about the NBA and the rumor he has promised his mother, Zoe, he'd get his degree?
“I'm a skinny little high school kid compared to the players in the NBA,” Oden said. “I feel I have a lot more to learn before I'm ready for Shaquille O'Neal and players like that. I felt very comfortable at Ohio State, and we'll just see how far I come.
“As for my mom, it's not that I promised her. It was more of a demand from her.”
Then Oden leaned back and smiled. There were no dollar signs in his eyes – at least not yet.
Dominating inside and no one has really challenged him.
