Greg Oden's Burden

When it comes to keeping fans informed about an NBA team, Jason Quick is one of the best around, IMO. This write-up is creating a lot of flak in Portland. Click the link if you want to read some of the fan reaction. Blazersedge is another place to get reaction.

Quick also wrote multi-article profiles over the summer on several players. His series on Travis Outlaw also created a lot of heat, though it was purely because of Outlaw's own selfish words.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/10/commentary_greg_odens_burden.html

Commentary: Greg Oden's burden
Posted by Jason Quick, The Oregonian October 19, 2008 06:00AM

Greg Oden was mad, and he was mad at me.

It was late last week, and I told the Trail Blazers' rookie center that I had to be honest: Through four exhibition games, I had been underwhelmed by his performance.

Upon hearing this, Oden's eyes pierced. His lips tightened. And for a second, I thought my head was about to be squashed like a grape by the 7-foot, 273-pound center.

His direct stare at me was, uh, let's say ... moving.


"I take this very seriously," 20-year-old Blazesr rookie center Greg Oden says.
"I put a lot of pressure on myself to do good and to win."

"Are you mad I said that?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, sounding equally hurt and angry.

I apologized, and it was a whole-hearted apology. Being at practice everyday, I understand what this 20-year-old is going through as far as expectations and attention go, and I had just added to it.

The media, both national and local, have been so consumed with the former No.1 pick that I say only half-jokingly that if Oden belches, sports editor Mark Hester will want me to write five paragraphs detailing how loud, what he ate and whether his surgically repaired right knee survived the event intact.

"Every step," Oden said, shaking his head about the media.

The attention and expectations appear to be weighing on Oden, stealing some of his charisma.

I went on to tell Oden that for the greater part of the past month, teammates Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Steve Blake and Channing Frye, as well as general manager Kevin Pritchard and coach Nate McMillan had all gushed about Oden, telling me he was "special," "dominant," "a man-child" and "one-of-a-kind."

After watching Oden work out twice in the summer, both in a half-court setting, I too was convinced Oden was ready to make an immediate and emphatic impact on the NBA. The combination of his size, quickness and explosiveness is unique.

But during Oden's first four exhibition games, anything outside of a dunk has looked awkward, hurried or forced. Most of his rebounds have been caught flat-footed, not snared out of the air. And for the most part he has often lumbered up and down the court. From everything I had heard, I thought I would be more "wowed."


When Oden gets the ball in the low post,
this is the most common result.

At the same time, I can see why so many people on the Blazers are excited about him: When he gets the ball down low, it's almost a guaranteed dunk. On defense, he changes shots. And as Roy is happy to announce, the attention Oden gets from opponents' defenses has already created more open shots for Roy and Aldridge than both saw all of last season.
I don't think Oden heard a word I said during my explanation. I think he was still fixated on "underwhelming."

"It's understandable," Oden said after I was done. "And I know it's out there. That's the big thing with me. That's why I'm out here working and trying to get better. Trying to understand this, and doing what I need to do so people don't think that way."

Think which way?, I asked.

"Underwhelmed," he said slowly with more than a hint of disgust.

We eventually parted ways, but this time it was without the customary handshake that usually marks the end of our interviews. He was clearly irritated.

Later, Roy emerged from the locker room.

"What did you do to Greg?" he said with a smile.

When I told him what I said to Oden, Roy processed it for a few seconds.

"Maybe that will light a fire under him," Roy said.

Roy, McMillan see change

As it turns out, I am not alone in my sentiments about Oden's play so far. Roy and coach Nate McMillan have come to a more tactful assessment.

In essence, Roy and McMillan say Oden has been too tight, too tense. As a result, both have implored Oden to try having fun playing basketball, and to remember why he loves the game.

"He is taking it too serious right now," Roy said. "And when you take things too seriously, you are too tense. And you can see it with Greg. He is like, 'ARRRGGGH!' with every little mistake he makes. I felt the same way my first year; I just hid it a little better."

McMillan said he has approached Oden at least twice during the preseason after sensing Oden was feeling the weight of the world.

"What I want Greg to do, and this is what I have talked to him about lately, is to have some fun," McMillan said. "I can't tell him to smile because I don't smile that much. But have some fun. Enjoy this."

The challenge for McMillan is that he knows he has a great player in Oden. He has seen it with his own eyes during the summer and in practices. But he has also witnessed the attention Oden attracts. Last season, most practices would feature three beat writers and maybe a television camera. This season, some practices have had upwards of 40 media members, including Sports Illustrated and USA Today.

And of course, we all want to talk to and about Oden. Why didn't he practice the final 30 minutes? How long will he play the next game? How is his progress?

As a reporter, it has become exhausting to listen to. I can't imagine what the other end is like. Eventually, I would imagine, the attention has to wear on him, and McMillan is trying to figure how to balance Oden's potential with his progress. All while under the media microscope.

"There's no question I believe (he will be dominant), but how do I get that out of him?" McMillan asked rhetorically. "The way is, we don't talk about this pressure, or about what he has to do. Instead, I've been talking to him about how this is his dream to be here, so have fun with it. I gave him an example: Approach the game as if you are playing against me and (assistant coach) Kaleb (Canales). Laugh at us. Really take that approach of dominating. You've got the talent, go have fun with it."

Oden says he has listened to McMillan's messages. And he tried to heed Roy's advice before the first preseason game to "just hoop." But neither message has helped ease the tension.

"I take this very seriously," Oden said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to do good and to win, and I guess Coach sees that I keep a straight face when I'm in the gym, but I want him to know I'm not (messing) around.

"I mean, I wish I could (have fun), but I see it as so much more. I've got a lot riding on this," Oden said. "Coach is like, 'Calm down and relax, it's just a game' ... but I'm like 'Look, I've got so many people wanting me to do this and that for this team, and the pressures of this team, the expectations of this team ... I can't relax.'"



Greg Oden and Justin Timberlake perform in July in Los Angeles. "I want that
personality that I saw on the ESPY Awards," Blazers coach Nate McMillan says
of his rookie center.

A different personality

All of this has made Oden appear uptight and guarded, which is so different from the Oden who first visited Portland after the Blazers lucked out and won the 2007 draft lottery and the right to the No.1 overall pick. That Oden was gregarious, goofy and endearing.

He can be hilarious, like his cameo appearance this summer on the ESPY awards, when he donned oversized Elton John type glasses and "played" the piano for a skit with performer Justin Timberlake. He is also curious, thoughtful, and I can't think of a time when he hasn't been respectful.

The shame is, the playful side of Oden has disappeared this season amid the pressures and scrutiny of his play. There is no longer the spontaneity of Oden rattling off movie lines from "Superbad," or his dead-pan answers followed by a I-can't-hold-it-any-longer laugh. What we hear from him now is monotone answers to the same tired questions about his knee, or his conditioning.

Life, not just basketball, no longer seems that fun for Oden.

"He has lost a lot of personality," Roy said. "I look at it that that's the NBA. You come in with a high, then it humbles you, then the person that comes out of being humble is the person you are going to be for the rest of your career."

His teammates noticed the change, and went through a brief period of ribbing Oden about his change in demeanor.

"But then everybody backed off," Roy said. "I think most in our locker room have been through this period, where you are learning the NBA, and you don't laugh or joke anymore. It will come back, but not for him right now. I mean, he will crack a smile every so often, but he's business right now. He has to go through this period."

McMillan says he hopes Oden's engaging personality begins to resurface, because in one way or another, the coach believes it can affect how he plays.

"I want that personality that I saw on the ESPY awards," McMillan said. "I want that personality I see when he gets in front of the media. Because he's good. He's great. It's a confidence thing, and I want that same thing out here on the court."



Greg Oden fights for a rebound against Memeht Okur of the Utah Jazz this month
during an exhibition loss to Utah in the Rose Garden. Blazers fans have never been
able to see what coach Nate McMillan calls "the real Oden."

Still playing it safe

Through four exhibition games, Oden is averaging 11.0 points and 6.3 rebounds while making 16 of 30 shots. That's while his playing time has been closely monitored and limited to 20 minutes a game. McMillan said he foresees Oden playing closer to 30 minutes a game in the regular season.

Certainly, those are solid numbers from a rookie center. But this is no ordinary center. Ever since he declared for the NBA draft after his freshman season at Ohio State, during which he led the Buckeyes to the NCAA championship game, Oden has been labeled a franchise-changing, once-in-a-decade center.

But Blazers fans have never been able to see what McMillan calls "the real Oden." That's because the team has carefully guided him through his rehabilitation from microfracture surgery in September 2007. Throughout every step in the process, there have been restrictions.

That appears to be a smart move today -- the team says Oden's knee is fully healed and free of pain or swelling. But, maybe it's time for him to run free, so to speak, and not worry about being held back.

I brought that up with Roy, and the team captain had an interesting take. Eventually, Roy says, Oden has to take the onus upon himself and tell the team "No." No, he doesn't want to sit out the second game of a back-to-back. No, he doesn't want to sit out a practice. No, he doesn't want to have his minutes monitored.

In his three years, Roy has had his share of medical drama. There was the talus bone in his heel during his rookie season. The hip/groin last season, and the knee surgery in August. He knows a thing or two about how the team handles injuries, and how that can play with an athlete's mind.

"It's gotta come from Greg," Roy said. "Because they try to baby me all the time, and I'm like, 'Nah, I'm going to practice every day in training camp. You are not going to pull me out of practice.' I've got a certain vision for myself, and I have to work a certain amount to get there. I mean, either I can play, or I can't play. That's the approach he has to take. He has to say, 'This is my life and I'm going to decide.'

"But it's all what Greg Oden wants to do," Roy said. "Once he takes control of that, he can be great."

McMillan assures that in practice, he is starting to see more and more of "the real Oden." For one, his conditioning is getting better.

"It's coming," McMillan said with a smile. "I have no doubt it's going to come."

To his credit, Oden is trying to just blend in. He routinely deflects the attention he receives to his teammates, and he continually says he doesn't deserve the attention. One of his pat statements is, "I haven't done anything yet."

Yet, he will continue to be judged on an almost daily basis.

And on this day, where does Greg Oden rate?

"I'm not there yet," he said. "I'm not where I want to be."

-- Jason Quick: jasonquick@news.oregonian.com

 

Basically Outlaw said he wanted more shots and wasn't content to be a bench player forever. That doesn't convey it all and it was pretty bold the way he said it. To me, he came across as very selfish, immature and non-intelligent. IMO, there is a 99% chance Outlaw is traded this season. He is not in the Blazers long-term plans.

 

Bill Simmons adds his perspective: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3683493&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
THE SPORTS GUY
By Bill Simmons

First impressions matter more in basketball than in any other sport, and they can be savored only in person. Players can't hide behind pads or helmets, so we can stare at them, evaluate every move they make: running, jumping, walking, even ogling the cheerleaders. We can see every ripple and tattoo. If they're lazy, we can tell. If they have a lousy attitude, we can tell. If their teammates dislike them, we can tell. It's the most naked sport, if that makes sense.

And if we happen to be watching a potential franchise center, we can tell right away. I remember watching young David Robinson stroll out of the tunnel at the Boston Garden as everyone made the same sound: "Whoa." Young Hakeem possessed so much raw athletic ability, he could barely harness it; watching him play hoops was like watching a 15-year-old driving a Formula One race car. Young Dikembe altered every shot within 12 feet, and eight blocks per game seemed realistic. Young Shaq had the highest ceiling of all: I specifically recall leaving the Garden thinking, It's all over; nobody has a chance against that guy.

Yes, you always remember the underwhelming and overwhelming moments of first impressions, especially with franchise bigs. The "merely whelming" moments, though, fade away. I remember seeing the aforementioned four newbies for the first time, but I caught Ewing as a rookie and remember nothing. He whelmed me. Same for Yao, Sampson and Zo. On the other hand, young Shawn Bradley left me more than underwhelmed. Actually, I thought,
Oh no, Philly is screwed!

So I couldn't wait to attend a Clippers-Blazers preseason game a few weeks ago. I needed my first impression of Greg Oden.

I needed to fit him on my Whelm Scale. He ended up landing "under." Oden ran with— there's no other way to say it—a noticeable limp. His body sank within itself, like the token tall guy in college who decides it's better to slump than to listen to tall jokes for the next four years. He jogged every time there was an opportunity to jog. Physically, he didn't seem any more intimidating than his teammate LaMarcus Aldridge. Everything about his body language said, "I'm not healthy or confident in my body yet."

Sure, he could dunk in traffic, challenge a few shots, sink an ugly jump hook or two. But everything came in quick bursts. His game lacked a certain fluidity that great centers usually have. It's the same quality that bothered me about the guy in college: Maybe all the parts were there, but the whole rarely matched them.

Here's where you should (rightly) point out that Oden was returning from microfracture surgery and battling inevitable confidence issues. And here's where I agree. It's too early to say definitively, This is where we stand. I just know what I saw, and here's what I saw: a 20-year-old guy who walked and ran like he was 35. Of course, you could have said the same about him in Columbus, but back then, at least he would randomly unleash an occasional superfreak moment: a hellacious dunk, a Russell-like block, whatever. Not anymore. His current ceiling looks more like Erick Dampier on a really good day.
Six days later, Oden sprained his foot on opening night and spawned another wave of Sam Bowie chatter. I'd just e-mailed my editors the day before to tell them I was writing about Oden. When they asked why, I sent them a rough draft of the previous three paragraphs and added that, if I had one non-Celtics NBA wish for the coming season, it would be for me to be wrong.
And not just because Oden pushes a fun Blazers team to another level. The league needs him. He could be a wonderful, thoughtful personality along the lines of Bill Bradley, Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Bill Walton—an original, someone who defies every unfair stereotype of NBA players.

Oden told Portland GM Kevin Pritchard, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," after finding out he needed knee surgery. He played piano for JT at the ESPYs. He messes with reporters during interviews by seeing how many questions he can answer in a monotone. He's such a nice person, I guarantee he will never throw a punch in a game. He never takes himself seriously. He's legitimately funny and self-aware, wise beyond his years, intuitive almost to a fault.

When The Oregonian's Jason Quick casually mentioned to Oden that he'd been a little underwhelmed by his preseason, Oden took it so personally that Quick cringed for the rest of the conversation. Oden never yelled at Quick nor defended himself, but his feelings were genuinely hurt. The reporter eventually walked away feeling terrible and wrote a terrific piece about it. Do we ever hear stories like that about professional athletes anymore? I've been writing columns for 20 years, dating back to college, and this is the first one I've ever worried about the subject reading.

I can't remember a more fascinating big guy. Shaq was contrived. Robinson was a saint. Ewing was forced. Hakeem was bland. Kareem was a ninny. Wilt was self-absorbed. Russell was angry and defiant. Oden presents the first chance for us to connect with a big guy on a semispiritual level. He's the lovable goofball who could have been your college roommate or next-door neighbor, the kid who went big time and took us with him. I want him to make it for the simple fact that I love basketball and we need more players like him.
We just do.

Unfortunately, he has rarely seemed like a franchise center in anything more than hype. I was concerned during his high school years when it was revealed that one leg was shorter than the other. Hmmm. I was concerned during his Ohio State season, when everyone kept making excuses for him despite mounting evidence that THE NEXT GREAT CENTER GREG ODEN just couldn't dominate night to night. I was concerned after watching him walk down a hallway after the 2007 ESPYs, when he reminded me of Fred Sanford. I was concerned after the sudden announcement that he needed major surgery.
Hey, if someone's body isn't quite meant to survive 1,000 to 1,200 NBA games—well, in my opinion, you can tell right away. Bill Walton always ran like a guy with bad feet. Why? His feet couldn't handle an NBA season. They haunted him, betrayed him and ultimately murdered his career. Structurally, he had a problem that couldn't be solved.

By contrast, young Hakeem moved like a seven-foot soccer player—impossibly light on his feet, jarringly quicker than everyone else—and you couldn't watch him without thinking, This is where basketball is going.
So it makes sense that Hakeem played nearly 800 more games than Walton did. Watch them running on NBA TV, and it will still be no surprise.
That's the thing about first impressions: Maybe they don't say everything, but you can't ignore them. I would've bet my life that Hakeem was going to become a great player, barring injury, in 1984. I don't feel even remotely the same about Greg Oden. We know he's a wonderful person, and a skilled player, but it remains unclear whether his body was meant to play basketball for a living.

From what I've seen so far, the answer is no. Just know that I've never wanted to be more wrong about anything.