Greg Oden facts for kids
Oden with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2008
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 22, 1988 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Indiana) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 273 lb (124 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Ohio State (2006–2007) |
| NBA Draft | 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 2007–2016 |
| Career history | |
| 2007–2012 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2013–2014 | Miami Heat |
| 2015–2016 | Jiangsu Dragons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 840 (8.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 656 (6.2 rpg) |
| Blocks | 130 (1.2 bpg) |
Gregory Wayne Oden Jr. (born January 22, 1988) is a former American professional basketball player. He was a very tall player, standing 7 feet (2.13 meters) tall, and played as a center.
Greg Oden played college basketball for Ohio State University for one season. During that time, his team won the Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament championships. Greg was even named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. His team also made it to the championship game in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
In 2007, Greg Oden was chosen as the very first player in the 2007 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He faced many challenges with injuries throughout his career. After playing in the NBA and in China, he decided to stop playing professional basketball in 2016.
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Early Life and High School Success
Greg Oden was born in Buffalo, New York. When he was nine, his family moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. There, he started playing basketball for his middle school team.
Later, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, and went to Lawrence North High School. He was an amazing high school player. He led his team to win three straight Indiana Class 4A basketball championships.
Greg received many awards in high school. He was named the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year twice, in 2005 and 2006. He also earned the title of 2006 Indiana Mr. Basketball. He was chosen for the McDonald's All-American Team, which features the best high school players in the country.
College Basketball Journey
On June 29, 2005, Greg Oden announced that he would attend Ohio State University. He went there with his high school teammate, Mike Conley Jr..
Before his college season started, Greg had surgery on his right wrist. This meant he couldn't play at the very beginning of the 2006–07 season. He made his college debut in December 2006, playing against Valparaiso. In that game, he scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots.
Greg quickly became a star in college. He was named the Big Ten's Player of the Week in January 2007. He was also chosen as First Team All-Big Ten and the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
In the NCAA Tournament, Greg helped Ohio State reach the 2007 National Championship game. He played a great game, scoring 25 points and getting 12 rebounds. Even though his team lost to the Florida Gators, Greg showed how talented he was. He never lost a home game during his high school and college career.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2007–2012)
In April 2007, Greg Oden decided to enter the 2007 NBA draft. On June 28, 2007, the Portland Trail Blazers picked him as the first overall player. He chose the uniform number 52.
Unfortunately, Greg faced a big challenge early on. In September 2007, he had surgery on his right knee and missed his entire first season. He was still considered a rookie for the 2008–09 season because of this injury.
He made his NBA debut in October 2008 but left the game early due to a foot injury. He returned in November and scored his first NBA points. On January 19, 2009, Greg had a career-high game with 24 points and 15 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks.
In December 2009, Greg injured his left knee and needed surgery. This meant he missed the rest of that season. His injuries continued to be a problem. In November 2010, he had another surgery on his left knee, which ended his 2010–11 season.
After more knee procedures, the Trail Blazers decided to release him in March 2012. Greg then chose to take a break from basketball to focus on getting healthy.
Time with the Miami Heat (2013–2014)
On August 7, 2013, Greg Oden signed a one-year contract with the Miami Heat. He played in his first NBA game since December 2009 in a preseason match.
On January 15, 2014, Greg made his official return to a regular-season game. He scored 6 points and grabbed 2 rebounds in 8 minutes. He even started a game in February 2014, his first start since 2009. The Heat reached the 2014 NBA Finals that year, but they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
Playing in China (2015–2016)
In 2015, Greg Oden worked out with NBA teams, hoping to make a comeback. On August 26, 2015, he signed a one-year contract to play for the Jiangsu Dragons in the Chinese Basketball Association.
In China, he had a strong game in December, scoring 22 points and getting 14 rebounds. He played 25 games for the team before leaving in February 2016.
In July 2018, Greg played in The Basketball Tournament 2018 with a team of Ohio State alumni. He scored 11 points in one game.
Life After Playing Basketball
After his playing career, Greg Oden returned to Ohio State University. In April 2016, he was hired as a student manager for the men's basketball team while he finished his degree. In 2019, he graduated from Ohio State with a degree in sport industry.
In November 2019, he became an athlete advisor for Edyoucore Sports & Entertainment. In April 2022, Greg joined the staff at Butler University as the director of basketball operations.
Personal Life
Greg Oden married his wife Sabrina in 2017. They have a daughter named Londyn, who was born in 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Greg Oden para niños
- 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans
