Oden: Ready for the next level?

ISUFan22 · 03-23-2007, 09:30 AM

Watching Greg Oden in the tournament, I question whether he's ready to move up to the NBA or not. In two big games for OSU, he's put himself on the bench by getting into foul trouble. When he was in the game, offensively he didn't do that much. He produced, yet not like a guy you expect to go to the NBA.

I wonder if he's a bit over-hyped. Earlier and mid-season I didn't think that. Yet in recent weeks and now the tournament when great players are supposed to turn it on - he hasn't.

So...is he ready to go pro? Or would it benefit him to hang around one more year?

Right now I'm kind of on the fence.

acs4isu · 03-23-2007, 09:33 AM

He'll go pro, get his mad jack, and be a good player in a couple of years. The only reason he had a college uniform on this year was because of the rule changes. The NBA wants him, and he'll go, despite his less-than-stellar NCAA run.

cyQlone · 03-23-2007, 09:34 AM

I think he is ready, but he is still young and makes a few bad decisions. He may not produce a lot of points, but he is definitely a presence down low. One more year might be better for him, but if he were to go now, he'd be successful in the NBA.

ISUFan22 · 03-24-2007, 05:15 PM

Another tournament game, another with Oden in foul trouble. I don't think he's played more than 9 minutes in a half since the first game of the tournament.

I'm not trying to dog on him - just not as impressed as we're supposed to be. Great players find a way to be in the game when their team needs them.

OSU was ahead of Memphis before he had to exit and now they're down by 5.

cmoore_23 · 03-24-2007, 05:19 PM

i think he should stay and pollish his game, but then again he should go because if he were to get injured.. but i stil say he should stay at least one more year

Michael Lastuvka · 03-24-2007, 05:25 PM

He'll be the number one pick no matter when he leaves. Based on that, if I were him, I'd stay in college at least next year. Soak up the good times that go along with college basketball before it turns into strict business.

Cydar · 03-24-2007, 05:27 PM

Kevin Durant and Greg Oden would probably be the top 2 draft picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.

I'm not sure what the salary difference is between the #1 & #2 picks. Do both come out or does one stay in college and become the overall #1 pick the following year?

benjay · 03-24-2007, 06:02 PM

He's ready for the NBA, but he will not produce big numbers there for a few years.

He could benefit from another year or two at OSU, or he can start making millions in the NBA, even though he won't start right away. No-brainer to me.

GM4ISU · 03-24-2007, 06:05 PM

ready are not he is #1 pick................ lots of money!!!

ajjohnson · 03-24-2007, 06:46 PM

15 points 10 boards 3 blocks on 61% shooting as a freshman with a broken shooting hand in only 29 minutes a game? He was ready out of high school.

Nothingman · 03-24-2007, 07:00 PM

He would benefit from another year in college but no matter how poorly he does in the next 1 or 2 games he will be a top 3 pick. His stock can't get any higher so he might as well go now.

herbicide · 03-24-2007, 07:05 PM

Ready, but as many others have stated, he needs some experience to perfect his game. He'll get experienced just as fast if not faster in the NBA

travman23 · 03-24-2007, 08:02 PM

I don't blame either Oden or Durant if they go pro but I would be thrilled if they stayed in college another year and get to see them play.

ajjohnson · 03-24-2007, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by Michael Lastuvka

He'll be the number one pick no matter when he leaves. Based on that, if I were him, I'd stay in college at least next year. Soak up the good times that go along with college basketball before it turns into strict business.

He won't be number one if Kevin Durant is in the same draft!

tigershoops31 · 03-24-2007, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by benjay

He's ready for the NBA, but he will not produce big numbers there for a few years.

I think he's ready to produce in the NBA right away. That said, I don't think he's the kind of guy to ever produce eye-popping offensive numbers. Every time I see him, I always think of Robert "Chief" Parish. They are both more intimidators and defensive/rebounding type players that are pretty serviceable close to the basket (Parish's career averages are 14 and 9 with a ton of blocks). Or maybe it could be that I only remember Parish at the end of his career when he was about 40, and Oden already looks like he's about 40, so they seem like a better fit (on closer inspection, Oden makes the Chief look rather spry)