The 2007 NBA Draft brought a wave of new talent and a plethora of stars into the league. From All-Stars like Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Mike Conley, Joakim Noah, and Marc Gasol to long-lasting role players like Jeff Green, Thaddeus Young, and Wilson Chandler, to name a few. However, probably the most notable occurrence of the draft class was the Number 1 overall pick, Greg Oden, sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the other players taken after him. The former Portland Trail Blazers #1 pick has since gained the label as one of, if not the biggest busts in league history. Coming out of Ohio State, Oden was compared to legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Bill Russell, yet failed to live up to all expectations. Because of that, Oden quickly grew the “bust” label by journalists and fans. Oden, however, does not deserve to be placed in the same camp as guys like Jamarcus Russell, Darko Milicic, and Michael Olowokandi.
The main problem with Oden being labeled as a bust is people just only look at his career at face value. Oden played 114 games over three seasons and two playoff appearances, the fourth fewest games ever played by a #1 Overall pick to sign a contract, according to statmuse.com. That small sample size doesn’t give many analysts a lot of data to compare him or really give him a fair judgment. Before he could start his rookie season, Oden suffered a microfracture in his right knee and required surgery that would result in him having to sit out a year to rehab. This by itself isn’t totally career-ending or altering situation. Several other players had solid careers after missing out on their rookie season due to Injury (I.e. Blake Griffin, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, etc…) After a promising and healthy start to the year in 2008, he would miss a month after colliding with Golden State Warriors guard Corey Magette, resulting in a chipped left kneecap, oregonlive.com reported. The final nail in the coffin for Oden’s career would be on December 5th, 2009, where after colliding with Houston Rockets guard Aaron Brooks on a layup, Oden injured his left knee once more, resulting in him requiring surgery on his left patella, ending his season. That December 2009 game against the Rockets would be the final game Oden would play for the Portland Trail Blazers and the last time he would play in a basketball game for almost four years. A year after the initial injury, Oden missed out on his second straight season due to further surgery on his left knee. In 2011, it was reported by ESPN that Oden had experienced a setback during surgery rehabilitation, and the Trail Blazers were doubtful he would return. Oden would miss his third straight season after undergoing another knee surgery in February 2012, and two weeks later, had to undergo another surgery after articular cartilage damage was found. If we’re counting, out of the total seven seasons Oden was under an NBA contract, he had only played in 3 seasons. As said prior, 114 total career appearances is not a lot to really fairly judge a player’s career, when for most of their career, they weren’t even playing.
Another problematic reason many give Oden the bust label is the unfortunate comparison between his career and the player who was selected one pick after him, Kevin Durant. Not much needs to be said about Kevin Durant. After the Sonics (later renamed Thunder) selected Durant, it was all uphill for the franchise. By 2014, Durant had led the Thunder to a Finals appearance and won an MVP, and by today, Durant is a 2-time champion. Now, when you look at both of their careers, it’s not really fair to compare a guy who played 114 games to someone who’s currently in their 15th season in the league. While, yes, Durant had an overall better career than Oden (And any other player in that 2007 Class), you’re really comparing apples to pears. The only time in their career they were on an equal playing field was when they were in college, and even then, Oden was arguably a better player at Ohio State than Durant was for the Texas Longhorns. Not to mention, their playing styles as vastly different. Oden was a traditional rim-protector big-man center, whilst Durant was a scoring forward. Plus, who’s to say if Portland selected him, Durant wouldn’t have had a similar career to Oden? Durant is a generational player, so comparing him to a player who missed three straight seasons, and had to retire due to injuries, isn’t very fair, or makes a lot of sense.
Oden didn’t have the chance to be a bust in the first place. Almost immediately after he was drafted, his knees and body simply gave up on him. After missing and rehabbing from his true rookie season, Oden pushed himself to the limit every minute he was given on the court until that limit had been pushed so much that his body could not give anymore. What separates Oden from other so-called busts, is that there was never a moment where Greg Oden was comfortable. He never took opportunities for granted. He never lashed out against his coaches and teammates, and he only did what was purely right for his team. Because of that, Greg Oden does not deserve to be labeled as a bust.
