Oden reminds me alot of Kelvin Cato when Cato was in college. The desperation for big guys might force a huge mistake if this guy goes before Durant.
He's way better then Cato. There's not even a comparison. Who's the quote about in your sig? DeMeco Ryans?
This thread reminds me of the people that were certain Tim Duncan was overrated and was going to be a bust.
Oden really didnt impress me either. Especially offensively. He didnt seem like he could get any position or moves
for some reason I like watching the center position the most... I like this Oden guy,...but I question people naturally assumming a guy will develop a offensive game when he gets into the NBA... you can teach defense... but you can only teach so much offense to a guy.... I would put him in the Dwight Howard... category...he has the potential.. to dominate on both ends of the game... but it is still potential.... but worst case is... the guy ends up as a defensive specialist... like a Wallace or Howard... but nothing wrong with that...
I loved Duncan, he was a senior that was so fundamentally sound it wasn't funny. Oden...not so much. DD
Totally different players. Duncan was skilled and did not rely on athleticism. Oden is not very skilled and is all about athleticism. There couldn't be a worse comparison Oden is no Howard. Oden physically dominates most teams in college, which is why he is effective. In the NBA, he won't be playing patty cake on the offensive boards and won't be able to tip himself the ball. As I said earlier, Howard is a vacuum cleaner on the boards. I seriously doubt Oden will be that good unless he grows serious offensive skills, which is still possible. If Oden purely relies on athleticism in the NBA the way he does now, his upside is Deke.
Tim Duncan was 10 and 10 with 3.8 blocks as a Frosh and that is rounding up. You are trying to compare a college freshman to much older and developed players. Also, don't mess with a future Grizzly
I hope somehow the Grizz get some unlucky ping pong balls and the Rockets don't have to face Oden or Durant so often for the next 10 years. I think they'll both be great NBA players and any team that lucks into them is going to be very happy for a long time.
granted i wasn't on the internet back when duncan was drafted (well no one was) but considering he was a ewing, drob, shaq, lebron type surefire #1 pick, how many people could have really been against him? as for oden=deke w/ no more refinement, i would say he's already demonstrated more fluidity and offensive coordination that deke, and he's 18 and improving. he's certainly got a ways to go but big men take a while. yao was what, 22 (?) when we drafted him and it still took him 3+ years to learn to figure out his game? granted he was coming from the opposite end of the spectrum (very refined, no strength/athleticism) but it still takes a while. now that still might put him behind howard, at least offensively, b/c dwight is just such a freak. not only very tall, but very long, way more mobile than oden, amazingly athletic, and amazingly swoll (i remember him posting up amare in the all-star game and people mentioning and me agreeing with how small he made amare look, and amare is a big dude in his own right. he's just a beast). if dwight develops an offensive game i can't see oden catching him, but oden has already demonstrated very good defensive technique, and howard is certainly not there yet. either way, i don't know if i take oden 1st, but i don't think any team will feel all too bad about having him in the future.
I can't believe there are so many Oden haters out there already. Look, Oden is only 1 year removed from high school, he just turned 19 years old and he has led his team into the Sweet 16. At this point in his young and nearly finished college career, Oden is already significantly better than 95% of all centers in the NBA. He is without question, a can't miss big time NBA prospect and will make an IMMEDIATE impact in the NBA once drafted. Like most dominant NBA centers, Oden will be a much better pro than college player. He will be surrounded by better talent, will have teammates that will actually throw the ball into the post (unlike Ohio St), have coaches that are more accustomed to coaching dominant post players, and come into a league that is largely devoid of talented centers (after Yao, Shaq, and Dwight Howard the dropoff is considerable). He is the best center to come into the NBA draft in many, many years. Durant, although not the interior defensive stalwart that Oden is, will likely be the overall number 1 pick in the draft and rightfully so, but Oden will be right up there with him and may one day prove to be the better of the 2 when championships are counted up. Oden's freshman stats compared to Olajuwon 1st year at UH: Oden 15.6ppg, 9.8 reb, 3.4 blks Olajuwon 8.3 ppg, 6.2 reb, 2.5 blks
That quote doesn't describe Demeco's situation. The Texans defense doesn't lack talent, alot of 1st and second round picks starting.
So who is it? I also beg to differ that our defense doesn't lack talent. You can argue all you want but the only elite talent I see on our defense are Demeco and Dunta. We have some other solid guys but we really lack in most areas. Our wasted picks aren't even a subject i want to get started on (considering we wasted #1 overall last year). I wanted Bush, however if the draft was today I'd take Young, then Bush. I don't even think Mario goes top 10.
Ewing never won a ring, Morining never got one until he played with Shaq and Wade, Malone never got one, Robinson never got one until Duncan. Having a good big man, esspecially one who is limited offensivley, does not guarnatee sucess, especially as they are becoming a dying breed and the NBA is moving toward perimiter players, not centers.
Physically, he reminds me of Alonzo Mourning with the skill-set of Omeka Okafor; certainly nothing to scoff at.
