oden is not ready for the nba yet

[ducks]

sorry boston..

5 turnovers tonight against the badgers
all traverling
wait they do not call traverling in the nba
but when they get physically with oden he is not effective

he needs to stay in school one more year

by the way I am a fan of his :smokin
Greg Oden 4-8 0-0 3-5 3 11

[atxrocker]

even future superstars have a bad game from time to time. btw, durant>>>>>>oden

[ducks]

he needs to bulk up
everyone has a bad game once in a where
THE NBA IS MORE PHYSICAL THEN WHAT HE IS PLAYING NOW
he needs to stay in school

[AFBlue]

This has nothing to do with the Spurs as they have no chance of getting Oden in the upcoming draft...try posting in the NBA forum. Irregardless of his performance tonight and the perception that he's not NBA ready, he'll go #1 if he enters the 2007 draft.

[boutons_]

I've seen him 2 or 3 times this season. Stay in school, he's years away from NBA-ready, his (HS) reputation is much bigger than his game.

[ducks]

This has nothing to do with the Spurs as they have no chance of getting Oden in the upcoming draft...try posting in the NBA forum. Irregardless of his performance tonight and the perception that he's not NBA ready, he'll go #1 if he enters the 2007 draft.

are you the new want to be mod? :rolleyes
besides thomas is still a gm there is always a chance the spurs will get the number one pick in the nba

[ShoogarBear]

Irregardless is not a word.

[johnpaulwall21]

it depends if the money is a factor. i dont know how his family is living, but that could shove him to the draft. hasnt he been shooting with his left hand? i think he would be a better player than durant in the long run.

[GrandeDavid]

It'd prolly help him to get that cast removed.

[itzsoweezee]

Irregardless is not a word.

yes it is

[tlongII]

Clueless people in here. Oden will be a superstar as soon as he steps on the court in the NBA. The college refs are letting opponents hack him at will which is what leads to his bogus travelling calls. They will let him be more physical in the NBA which will be to his advantage. Oden > Durant.

[Kobulingam]

sorry boston..

5 turnovers tonight against the badgers
all traverling
wait they do not call traverling in the nba
but when they get physically with oden he is not effective

he needs to stay in school one more year

by the way I am a fan of his :smokin
Greg Oden 4-8 0-0 3-5 3 11


Which hand does he shoot with? Either answer (left or right) gives you the reason why he's not eating up the NCAA yet. Now shut up.

[AFBlue]

Irregardless is not a word.

Irrespective of your post and regardless of your choice to acknowledge the term "irregardless" as a commonly used word to accentuate the meaning of the two previously mentioned terms, I will continue to use words that may not be considered appropriate according to your standards but are commonly understood and accepted in casual conversation. The last time I checked, the purpose of this forum had to do with the San Antonio Spurs, not English Grammar School.

[AFBlue]

are you the new want to be mod? :rolleyes
besides thomas is still a gm there is always a chance the spurs will get the number one pick in the nba

Well if Oden comes out this year, Thomas will not be a factor in the draft as he has already forfeited his right obtain a top draft pick. IIRC, Chicago has the right to swap first round picks with New York as a result of the Eddy Curry trade in the upcoming draft. If Oden decides not to come out until 2008 and the Knicks are in a position to draft him, IT will have been fired.

[RC's Boss]

he needs to bulk up
everyone has a bad game once in a where
THE NBA IS MORE PHYSICAL THEN WHAT HE IS PLAYING NOW
he needs to stay in school
He is like 270-280! How much "bulking" do you want???? The problem is he's still a little too raw for the NBA and one more year would help him refine his game a bit more if works on his post moves in the offseason.

[RC's Boss]

He would still go 1st if he were to come out, but I think durant is more NBA ready now... i actually think durant will be a starter by tip off of the 1st game next season.

[Extra Stout]

Oden used to could shoot better, and if his there hand would finish up healing, he might should switch back again. At least I reckon.

[Kobulingam]

He is like 270-280! How much "bulking" do you want???? The problem is he's still a little too raw for the NBA and one more year would help him refine his game a bit more if works on his post moves in the offseason.

He's lost bulk because he hasn't been able to hit the heavy weights since his wrist injury/surgery.

So the body you see is the body he has without lifting. That's damn amazing. With lifting he'll have a body comparable to Dwight Howard.

[AFBlue]

He would still go 1st if he were to come out, but I think durant is more NBA ready now... i actually think durant will be a starter by tip off of the 1st game next season.

Based on the teams that would likely be drafting at the top of the first round, I think both Oden and Durant, no matter how unprepared, would both be starting for their NBA teams....

[bgantz]

I have to disagree about Oden. The guy is going to be a monster. NCAA basketball is not a league suited for big men who are cutting their teeth on higher competition. It's a guard system in the NCAA. It's dependent upon guards who can penetrate and find the open outlets or slash to the basket to break down these zone defenses which...quite frankly...put me to sleep. How can you expect Oden to do anything when he gets thrown the ball and instantly has 3 guys standing around him? Conley, Butler, Harris, Cook, etc have to make shots to free up space for Oden. Not to mention...the guy is basically playing left handed.

[RC's Boss]

He's lost bulk because he hasn't been able to hit the heavy weights since his wrist injury/surgery.

So the body you see is the body he has without lifting. That's damn amazing. With lifting he'll have a body comparable to Dwight Howard.
Yeah he's a big sumbitch!

[RC's Boss]

I have to disagree about Oden. The guy is going to be a monster. NCAA basketball is not a league suited for big men who are cutting their teeth on higher competition. It's a guard system in the NCAA. It's dependent upon guards who can penetrate and find the open outlets or slash to the basket to break down these zone defenses which...quite frankly...put me to sleep. How can you expect Oden to do anything when he gets thrown the ball and instantly has 3 guys standing around him? Conley, Butler, Harris, Cook, etc have to make shots to free up space for Oden. Not to mention...the guy is basically playing left handed.
You have a point, but how many big men have come out of college in the top 5 of the draft the last 5 years and actually were worth the pick? Not many.

[bgantz]

You have a point, but how many big men have come out of college in the top 5 of the draft the last 5 years and actually were worth the pick? Not many.

This sort of proves my point....great high school big men weren't going to college...they were going straight to the NBA, but now that's changed obviously. But I mean Dwight Howard, Okafor and Bogut...those are the only big men right off the top of my head that have been drafted so high recently, and howard was straight out of high school. Guards get drafted higher because guards flourish in the NCAA.

[dbestpro]

Yeah, Oden ain't no good. Oh, by the way he's been playing the year shooting with his left hand. His free throw percentage is >80%. I wonder if he would be considered NBA ready when healthy and he starts to shoot with his real shooting right hand. And Ducan shoots what % from the foul line with his good hand? The guy basically has been playing with one hand, his weak hand all year and dominates from a defensive presence. He is every bit the real deal and the best defensive center since Bill Russell.

[RC's Boss]

This sort of proves my point....great high school big men weren't going to college...they were going straight to the NBA, but now that's changed obviously. But I mean Dwight Howard, Okafor and Bogut...those are the only big men right off the top of my head that have been drafted so high recently, and howard was straight out of high school. Guards get drafted higher because guards flourish in the NCAA.
Bogut was the main one I was thinking of. While he fills a role on a team, i think in retrospect he was not top 5 material. I see what you're saying, I just think he should wait one more year given how paranoid some of these GM's are when a player doesn't post 18 and 10 their 1st season. Kendrick perkins on the Celtics went to high school w/ my brother and he was a MONSTER in H.S., but imagine how good he would've been had he went to college. Also Bosh ate him up in some tournement or something before they were drafted. He was good back then, but now he's avg. and could possibly be traded. If he would have gotten 2 years in college (unfortunately Texas high schools mainly produce track and football stars, my high school center was 6'6 while my cousin in Detroit had a frontline of 6'7, 6'9, and 6'11!), imagine the possiblities of his game advancing going up against top NCAA competition. For every D. Howard, there is a K. Perkins (or 3 or 123) out there. I'll say this, if his parents aren't in jail like Amare's mom, or living in a crack infested housing project, he should stay one more year.

[Kori Ellis]

Of course, he's going to have some off games because of his hand and because he's human, but he's awesome. In the NBA, he's going to be a defensive monster.

[RC's Boss]

Of course, he's going to have some off games because of his hand and because he's human, but he's awesome. In the NBA, he's going to be a defensive monster.
Yeah, but you know as well as I do, defense b/c of size or agility can take you only so far. It's about being in your set at the right time. Rasho is much better on D than Howard (except for rebounding), but can't jump 2 ft and blocks .2 shots per game (not true stats just me being an ass) :drunk

[Kobulingam]

Bogut was the main one I was thinking of. While he fills a role on a team, i think in retrospect he was not top 5 material. I see what you're saying, I just think he should wait one more year given how paranoid some of these GM's are when a player doesn't post 18 and 10 their 1st season. Kendrick perkins on the Celtics went to high school w/ my brother and he was a MONSTER in H.S., but imagine how good he would've been had he went to college. Also Bosh ate him up in some tournement or something before they were drafted. He was good back then, but now he's avg. and could possibly be traded. If he would have gotten 2 years in college (unfortunately Texas high schools mainly produce track and football stars, my high school center was 6'6 while my cousin in Detroit had a frontline of 6'7, 6'9, and 6'11!), imagine the possiblities of his game advancing going up against top NCAA competition. For every D. Howard, there is a K. Perkins (or 3 or 123) out there. I'll say this, if his parents aren't in jail like Amare's mom, or living in a crack infested housing project, he should stay one more year.

Dwight Howard is a tad overrated too. He has no outside game whatsoever, and don't tell me it's takes longer than 2 years in the NBA to develop SOME EVIDENCE of an outside game.

Bosh is the real deal. He's putting the Raptors on his shoulders and taking them to the #2 or #1 seed in the East.


Had we offered Manu after his peak season for Bosh raptors would have accepted that trade. We can still get him for Manu+Parker.

[RC's Boss]

Dwight Howard is a tad overrated too. He has no outside game whatsoever, and don't tell me it's takes longer than 2 years in the NBA to develop SOME EVIDENCE of an outside game.

Bosh is the real deal. He's putting the Raptors on his shoulders and taking them to the #2 or #1 seed in the East.


Had we offered Manu after his peak season for Bosh raptors would have accepted that trade. We can still get him for Manu+Parker.
NOOOO! Parker is untouchable unless said player's last name is Paul!

[RC's Boss]

I don't think the Raptors would do that now anyway...

[Darkwaters]

Irregardless is not a word.

And neither is "normalcy". But since President Harding used it in a speech it is commonly accepted.

[Solid D]

And neither is "normalcy". But since President Harding used it in a speech it is commonly misused.

corrected. :lol

[ducks]

pretty bad to have a off day on national tv facing the number 2 team in the nation

[Bob Lanier]

Oden's physique doesn't impress me; nor does his rebounding.

I have a sneaking suspicion that he could be the next Kandiman.

[ShoogarBear]

Irrespective of your post and regardless of your choice to acknowledge the term "irregardless" as a commonly used word to accentuate the meaning of the two previously mentioned terms, I will continue to use words that may not be considered appropriate according to your standards but are commonly understood and accepted in casual conversation. The last time I checked, the purpose of this forum had to do with the San Antonio Spurs, not English Grammar School.You sure do think that you are the local authority on what this forum has to do with and what should be posted where, I'll grant you that.

[Darkwaters]

Oden's physique doesn't impress me; nor does his rebounding.

I have a sneaking suspicion that he could be the next Kandiman.

I doubt we're talking about that big of a flop. But it wouldn't surprise me if he has been way overhyped and simply becomes a solid center instead of a dominant center.

[E20]

Oden would be a moron to leave college after this year. If I were Oden I'd stay for the full 4 years, shit maybe even 5.

The man gets so much pussy probably. He's probably banging some hot white chick as I'm typing this. He gets it every night, now that I guarantee.

[Dre_7]

Also, we lost our best post defender to a nasty elbow dislocation and/or break in the early 1st half. So Oden was goin against our second tier defenders.

[AFBlue]

You sure do think that you are the local authority on what this forum has to do with and what should be posted where, I'll grant you that.

I don't claim to be an authority. If I was one, I would have closed the thread and advised the person who started the thread to re-post in the appropriate forum; NBA News Central.

Since I'm not an "authority", I just told the thread creator for future reference that there was another forum for general NBA-related issues.

I even went on to state my opinion afterwards, which should tell you that my first comment was meant to be informational. I don't know why you got all bent out of shape about it....

[AFBlue]

Oden's physique doesn't impress me; nor does his rebounding.

I have a sneaking suspicion that he could be the next Kandiman.

No one was overly impressed with Olowokandi when he came out. He was just the "best option available" in a weak class.

Oden, however, would have gone #1 last year without a doubt and would still go #1 this year if he chose to declare.

He's 7' and a lean 260 (previously mentioned wrist injury affecting weight lifting), but has the body to bulk up to 285lb and be pure muscle.

He does have alot to work on with his offensive game, but he could step on the court next year and be a top 5 defensive center in the league....his mobility and shot blocking are that good.

Side note: Oden doesn't remind me of Kandiman. Roy Hibbert does....

[50 cent]

I think Durrant is more ready for play in the NBA today. Oden might have more potential in the long run, but it would be hard to pass on Durant.

[AFBlue]

I think Durrant is more ready for play in the NBA today. Oden might have more potential in the long run, but it would be hard to pass on Durant.

Agree that Durant is the better player now, and I'm not totally convinced that Oden will be the better player long-term, but Oden will be the #1 pick if he comes out.

Point in fact, the Chicago GM that drafted MJ was asked if he had been given the #1 spot, who would he have chosen....his answer: Olajuwon

All things being relatively equal, a GM will pick the big guy....

[TDMVPDPOY]

i say he should forfeit the draft, stay one more year, fake an injury, and sign wiht the spurs as undrafted FA :D:D

[HeyIt'sMe]

Oden's defense is really good, but I do agree that he gets overrated... IF we are talking about him being the best Center prospect since Kareem, which many considered him coming out of high school. He might of been a better prospect coming out of high school than players like Shaq, Hakeem, D-Rob, etc., but there's a great chance he doesn't end up as good as any of them. I'm not saying he couldn't end up as good as the all-time greats, or possibly better... just that it's highly unlikely. I think the center position is so weak nowadays, people hype him up to an extreme amount.

As for the person who called Howard overrated... I disagree. An outside shot is something that's very teachable and attainable, he just hasn't tried to get one... yet. He said his offseason goal was to add a jump shot to his repitroire, and he plans on hiring a shooting coach to help him. The Magic have purposely told him to lay off learning a jump shot until he developed more of his game. He's done that, and I'll think you'll see him develop a shot in the offseason. I see no reason whatsoever why he can't get one, considering he had a good one coming out of high school.

[Pugglekicker_21]

We will see next season. Can't wait too see a Duncan-Oden matchup. If Dwight Howard is going to develop a shot this offseason, then I'll expect to see his pts avg go up next season.

[Guru of Nothing]

Ireveryone irknows irthat irirregardless iris irreverse irpig-Latin irfor "regardless."

[ajh18]

So just a quick bit of research for those hating on Oden. These are the freshman year stats of three of the best centers to come out of college in the last couple decades (Shaq, Ewing, and Duncan who I'm putting in as a center for the purposes of this comparison). I couldn't find Hakeem right away, but if someone wants to look for his, go for it. I also threw in Bosh as a comparison to another elite big man who came out after just one year in college.

Ewing ('81-'82) 12.7 ppg, 7.5 reb, 3.2 blk, 63.1% fg - in 28.8 min
Shaq ('89-'90) 13.9 ppg, 12.0 reb, 3.6 blk, 57.3% fg - in 28.2 min
Duncan ('93-'94) 9.8 ppg, 9.6 reb, 3.8 blk, 54.5% fg - in 30.2 min
Bosh ('02-'03) 15.6 ppg, 9.0 reb, 2.2 blk, 56.0% fg - in 31.0 min

Oden ('06-'07) 15.3 ppg, 9.5 reb, 3.5 blk, 60.9% fg - in 29.8 min

As you can see, Oden compares just fine to these players, and that's playing with one hand. He averages only behind Bosh in points (by .3ppg) and basically ties Duncan for second place behind Shaq in rebounding. His field goal %, one handed, trails only Ewing. Oden is going to be a monster. Don't let a bad game on tv, or the fact that he's barely getting to showcase what he can really do, lead you to believe otherwise.

[bgantz]

I added in my two cents earlier...but this is a bit of a kneejerk reaction thread if I ever saw one. Oden, a guy who basically came in without a chance to gel with his team after rehabing his wrist, comes in and has to learn on the fly and has carried them through most of Ohio State's games. This wisconsin game was a supbar game for him, but he's the same guy who threw down 24 pts 15 bounds and 3 blocks against a tennessee team that's taking florida over the knee with a belt right now. I think his skill set compares very favorably compared to the skills Chris Bosh had as a freshmen at Gtech and what Dwight Howard had as a rook. Oden hasn't adjusted well yet to the double team and the types of defenses he's seeing right now, but he's getting better. The guy totally changes the game altogether because of what he brings on the defensive end alone.

[ducks]

I like him
I just think one more year would do him alot of good
he is not even comp0letly healthy
in the nba they are more physically then now

[ShoogarBear]

He's not bad for a 37-year old freshman.

[SpursFanJ]

sorry boston..

5 turnovers tonight against the badgers
all traverling
wait they do not call traverling in the nba
but when they get physically with oden he is not effective

he needs to stay in school one more year

by the way I am a fan of his :smokin
Greg Oden 4-8 0-0 3-5 3 11

hey, the Spurs were supposed to tank this year so they could start a new era...

'87 1st pick in the draft - David Robinson
'97 1st pick in the draft - Tim Duncan
'07 1st pick in the draft - Greg Oden / Kevin Durant

Now what are they going to do? Tim's fire is dwindling and Parker and Ginobili are not picking up the torch. I know the Spurs are smart with their money, but they are going to have to make a huge free agent splash in the next year or two to match up with the Mavs.

[Agloco]

LOL.....

Irregardless contains two negative elements and is considered a non-standard form of grammar.....

Btw, it means: regardless.

Using Irregardless to mean Regardless. Sounds like crap to me.......

Normalcy is considered standard today.


Grammar police out............

[ducks]

Oden will wait to decide if he stays or if he goes

By RUSTY MILLER, AP Sports Writer
March 2, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Amid all the talk about him going No. 1 in the NBA draft, Greg Oden is content being a college student and trying to make his 7-foot, 270-pound frame fit in with the rest of the student body at Ohio State.

He's taking history of rock and roll and sociology this quarter.

ADVERTISEMENT


"I'm doing pretty decent," he says, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "I don't have any failing grades, I know that."

Ask him about what he's learned in the Music 252 class, and he turns into a typical 19-year-old -- albeit one who could pass for twice that.

"We went from blues, and now we're at nouveau," he said earlier this week during the top-ranked Buckeyes' preparations for the regular-season finale Saturday at Michigan. "The crazy thing is, I go to movies a lot. And now that I've had that class, it's like every movie has an old song. I'm sitting there watching a movie and I'm like, 'THAT'S the Andrews Sisters from 1951!"'

It's still unclear whether he'll spend more than one year in a scarlet-and-gray uniform.

His friend and teammate since the sixth grade, fellow freshman Mike Conley Jr., looks at Oden standing 50 feet away, his head, shoulders and armpits above a thicket of microphones. Oden's telling a story, a group of reporters is laughing and the big guy seems light years away from muscling Shaquille O'Neal or trading elbows with Dirk Nowitzki. He looks like an extremely tall but typical college kid.

"He's definitely enjoying himself," said Conley, Ohio State's standout point guard. "He's having a good time. People aren't bothering him. He's trying to be normal."

Oden said he won't decide on whether he'll jump to the NBA until after the season. Most experts had him as a shoo-in to be the No. 1 pick a year ago, before the league made it mandatory that high school grads spend at least a year in college before turning pro.

One nod of his head and he'll become an instant multimillionaire, yet Oden has given no indication that he'll make the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies or some other lucky loser very, very happy.

No one knows which way Oden is leaning right now.

Some have called Oden the best American-born big man in a generation. His own worst critic, Oden doesn't agree. For one thing, he still does not have full use of his right hand after surgery to repair a torn tendon in his wrist last summer.

Oden, who missed the first seven games, wears an elastic guard on it and shoots free throws with his off (left) hand because he can't flex it enough.

"There's some things I can't do just because I don't have full motion in my wrist," he said. "And I just know that I can do better out there. You know you have sacrifice some things for the good of the team."

The Buckeyes (26-3, 14-1 Big Ten) have already locked up the conference's regular season title despite graduating four starters from last year's team that accomplished the same feat. They did it with a wholesale transfusion of new blood -- four standout freshmen and a junior-college transfer dubbed the "Thad Five" after head coach Thad Matta.

Oden has led the Buckeyes to the top of The Associated Press poll for the first time in 45 years. He knows he can be even better, a fact that must send shivers down the spines of his future competition.

"All I know is I'm doing what I can," said Oden, averaging 15.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and four blocked shots. "I know I have a lot more to improve on. I want to be a better player. But right now I'm doing as much as I can to help my team win."

Matta says he and Oden have not discussed next year, and that they've had enough to deal with getting through a long season. There's time to weigh the pros and cons of the pros later.

"We'll talk about it after the season," Matta said. "That's the one thing that people I don't think at times let him do -- just be a college kid. He always has to answer questions like that. And I honestly don't think he's thought about it."

[SRJ]

On topic: Oden will be great - even if he's not an outstanding offensive player (though I think he'll be a 20+ ppg guy), you can place 12+ rebounds and 3+ blocks next to his name in every one of his first ten NBA seasons at least.

Off topic: Irregardless is a word. I'm looking at it right now in my Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

[mookie2001]

Clueless people in here. Oden will be a superstar as soon as he steps on the court in the NBA. The college refs are letting opponents hack him at will which is what leads to his bogus travelling calls. They will let him be more physical in the NBA which will be to his advantage. Oden > Durant.

[Sisk]

call out again

you must be bored

[Lars]

Clutch find.

[Solid D]

Nice dust-off, mookie. Lolz

[rayray2k8]

"Welcome to hell"
:lmao

[tlongII]

You guys just watch what happens this season. Oden is so much better than Durant it's ridiculous.

[tlongII]

Oh, but apparently Durant can bench 180 now! :lol

[TheSullyMonster]

You guys just watch what happens this season. Oden is so much better than Durant it's ridiculous.

I love watching big men, but Oden hasn't done a damn thing to deserve that sort of comparison. Much less win it.

[tlongII]

I love watching big men, but Oden hasn't done a damn thing to deserve that sort of comparison. Much less win it.

Oh really? He's only a key cog on what was a 54 win team. How's OKC doing?

[ChumpDumper]

Oh really? He's only a key cog on what was a 54 win team. How's OKC doing?They had their 07 lottery pick play in 154 games the past two seasons.

[mountainballer]

Oden is so much better than Durant it's ridiculous.

you mean as much better as Spanoulis is better than Tony?