The young center hasn't played competitive basketball in a long time yet it doesn't stop people from commenting that he doesn't look like the Golden Child everyone raved about after being drafted #1 overall.
MEMO to the media and fans who keep saying the Golden Child is a bust -
Big Men like Greg Oden take longer to get back into shape after major knee surgery, relax and give him the time he needs. The Blazers window for a Championship is still a couple years away so no harm waiting for a healthy GO.
Oden has been a hard worker his entire life of basketball and spent the entire last year rehabbing the knee doing everything the Blazers told him to do. Everyone should just be happy that his knee isn't sore and causing him trouble, but they aren't. They expect too much too soon.
The only thing I think the Blazers training staff could have done differently was limiting his workouts in the weight room.The young center has never played with so much girth and this is the reason why he looks awkward playing with other NBA players. He's not close to being in basketball shape after such a long layoff combined with the extra 30 pounds.
I think it will take him at least 1/2 of a season or longer to get his groove back against the BEST players in the world.
41 games - that's when he will really start causing havoc on the court like we remember him doing before he came into the NBA after playing very little in college, go find a picture of Oden after the surgery and take a look at him now ) He's completely changed
I am taking it easy on Greg and I'm going to give him a lot more time because of all the size he's added and feel Blazer fans and the media should not begin to critique his play until after the All-Star Break at the very least.
Portland's Golden Child will be everything Blazer fans & the media expected and more if they just give Greg more time - his body and mind will lighten up, so why don't you.
That's my story & I'm sticking to it"
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