Greg Oden was selected first overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. He was the number one recruit out of high school and led Ohio State to the National Championship as a freshman. However, his career would never reach greater heights. After being selected first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers, the center missed four of his first seven seasons in the NBA. In his three seasons of play, he participated in a total of 105 games. Oden never realized the promise he showed in high school and college.
What Happened to Greg Oden?
Before beginning his professional basketball career, Greg was regarded as a future superstar. Due to multiple catastrophic injuries, he gave up his goal barely nine years after he was supposed to replace a generation of superstars. Since he hung up his basketball shoes for good, Greg has scored some wonderful jobs.
Ohio State University, also known as his alma mater, hired him in April 2016 as the student manager for the men’s basketball team while he completed his degree. Greg joined Edyoucore Sports & Entertainment in 2019 as their athlete adviser after earning a bachelor’s degree in the sports industry 2019. Currently, he is the director of basketball operations at Butler University.
Greg called his injuries the “Greatest NBA bust.”
Greg crushed the competition in high school; college coaches and recruiters traveled across the country to watch him play. The 7-footer eventually committed to Ohio State University, where he played for only one season. Greg helped the team win the Big Ten tournament in 2007 and guided them to the championship game of the NCAA tournament.
Greg declared for the 2007 NBA Draft after a brief college career; he was taken first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers and was projected to be the franchise player. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
In September 2007, he underwent knee microfracture surgery, resulting in him missing the whole 2007-08 NBA season. Greg returned the following year but missed most of the season due to knee and foot injuries.
Greg shattered his patella, often known as the kneecap, on his left knee on December 5, 2009, necessitating season-ending surgery. In November 2010, he underwent a second microfracture procedure on his left knee, effectively ending his 2010-11 NBA season.
In February 2012, following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, the Trail Blazers chose to dismiss him to make room on their roster. Soon after the 2014 NBA Finals, he signed a one-year contract with the Miami Heat and officially left the league.
In an appearance on Outside the Lines in November 2016, the 34-year-old New York native referred to himself as “the biggest bust in NBA history.” Greg added that this is likely how fans would remember him, and he “can’t do anything about it.” Kevin Durant, who reacted to the bust comments as “crap,” was among the fortunate few who defended Greg.
“That is absurd. To become a bust, you must play and demonstrate that you have improved as a player “The twelve-time NBA All-Star spoke to EPSN on November 13, 2016. “He did not have the opportunity to… He had an injury, which was unfortunate. However, when he did play, he was formidable. Guarding the paint.”