I’m a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers, which is code for saying ‘I over-hyped Greg Oden more than I should have’. Coming off his “redshirt year,” which he spent recovering from microfracture surgery to his right knee, the No. 1 overall pick in 2006 was ready to assume the mantel of Big Man to Lead the Franchise to the Promised Land. A long, athletic, physical center? Not since the days of Bill Walton had Blazers fans dared to dream this big. Surely, the mid-1990s Blazers didn’t inspire this much confidence in the team.
Microfracture surgery? People heal! I could wait a year for the player most “analysts” considered a once-in-a-decade talent at his position. I didn’t ask for much: I would have loved to unofficially see 541 rebounds, 221 blocks and 9,607 flashes of brilliance that foreshadow a Blazers championship before I accept Social Security benefits.
Oden didn’t exactly live up to the hype.Through six preseason games, Oden averaged 11.5 points and 7.8 rebounds a game with five blocks … in total. Physically, he looked hulkish, but without much of the mobility and explosiveness that turned heads in high school and at Ohio State. Oregonian writer and Blazers beat reporter Jason Quick once told Oden that he considered his performances underwhelming. Oden’s response: dejection. And, if you can call it a response, a sprain in his right foot in the regular season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers (where a “battle of the up-and-coming big men” turned into a sideshow in a Lakers rout).
The worst part about being a fan and seeing Oden struggle was the simple, intuitive perception that Oden just wasn’t having fun playing basketball. And if his heart isn’t in it, what is he? This is a kid whose outsized personality – an affinity for movies and political advocacy are two upfront examples – appeared to be the intangible heir apparent to the 6-foot-11 Deadhead who rode his bike to Memorial Coliseum for games, denounced the consumption of meat, and enjoyed Portland’s finest, ahem, natural resources.
Oregon’s only professional sports team has roots sunk deep into the Portland community and culture. If Blazers fans wouldn’t invite you to their next barbecue, you’re not a great fit on the team. Oden and his Blazer teammates are unofficial public ministers, in charge of helping to keep Portland weird.
His foot injury occurred on Oct. 28; Oden returned to the court in an away game on Nov. 12 against the Miami Heat with a nondescript performance: three points, two rebounds, two blocks, two turnovers, two fouls. Slowly but surely, Oden’s game is picking up. He recorded his first career double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) two nights later against the New Orleans Hornets. Two games later, against the Golden State Warriors, Oden turned in 22 points and 10 rebounds in a tough loss for the Blazers. He’s averaging nine points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.88 blocks per game.
And he looks like he’s starting to have fun doing it. Oden is in an experimental stage of his game, trying to figure out what works, what doesn’t and how to physically improve upon the facets of his game. Right now he’s an adequate backup center, and that’s the role he’s taken on.
This won’t last, of course. Oden is far too talented and he will figure things out on the court. (How else can you explain his learning to shoot left-handed free throws after breaking his right wrist while with the Buckeyes?)
You have to go back to the 2004 draft, where Dwight Howard was selected No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic, to find another player Oden matches up with in terms of potential game impact. This will take time, but the more I watch Oden play, the more I realize what it is that makes him special. He’s worth the wait.
ROBERT HUSSEMAN
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