NBA Blazer fans should NOT rush to judgment on Greg Oden
The rumblings are brewing. The murmurs are already starting. Did the NBA's Portland Trailblazers waste a #1 overall draft pick on second year (really his first since he sat out the entire '07-'08 season with a serious knee injury) center #52 Greg Oden?
The answer is it's too soon to tell.
Yes, very early in the 2008-'09 NBA season, Oden is averaging a meager 6.8 ppg and 6.5 rebounds. But is this so surprising in the first 10 or so games in what is functionally his rookie season? Remember this is a young center with a limited collegiate experience.
NBA big men have historically had relatively long careers because 7 footers are hard to find and it takes a while for them to mature into the NBA game. Couple that with the fact that he did not receive 4 years of instruction and seasoning on the NCAA level. In this day and time, big men are usually a project. Consequently, if they can remain healthy, their careers need to be long so that a team can recoup the initial investment. (unfortunately, the team that usually ultimately benefits from his improved skill set is not the team that endured the massive initial investment...sorry.)
Now factor in his delayed development due to missing an entire year with micro-fracture surgery to his knee. The first season after this type of surgery should be considered part of the rehab process. The second season after micro-fracture surgery is the proper time to assess the goods...remember a guy named Amare Stoudemire?
The good news for the Blazer faithful is that they can save the speculation and boo's...until next year.
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