Well it makes a lot of sense. Honestly most of the guys who "laugh at these quacks" are the old school doctors who have spent their lifetimes with outdated medicine, it's natural they will laugh at the guy who basically is making their life's work useless. I think you don't need to be a med genius to realize something's wrong when Oden and Roy's feet aren't equally long. Regarding Oden, if only he didn't have health issues I think we'd be debating him vs KD vs DH as the 2nd best player in the league right now, the guy had DH's body type with Bogut's IQ. Even losing his rookie season and recovering from injury, he quickly established himself as a force in the paint and supplanted LMA as the 2nd option on the blazers. If he can be healthy, then forget a 3-peat, we're looking at 4 or 5 peats from Miami. A frontcourt of Oden, Bosh and LBJ with Birdman as the 6th guy is downright scary.
Seriously disagree. It's been 4 years, with multiple microfracture surgeries and God knows what. Even Jordan wasn't himself after taking a 1.5 year break from basketball. And Oden wasn't a basketball savant, as can be demonstrated by the fact that for all his athleticism, dude was Greg Smith bad at fouling all the time. He was an incredible physical specimen, but well, that's largely gone.
I swear Oden looks like he's their father in that picture. I cannot believe that guy is younger than me. If I did not know any better I would think he was an former NBA player from the 80s that wanted to take a picture with the Heat players.
My thoughts exactly DD. The guy is doing great just to walk upright these days and is a loooooong way from being able to play in a live game. Bynum who has two shot knees is a better player than Olden right now and he can't step onto a basketball court either. Anyone who signed him would be paying him to rehab.
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Doubt he'll make the cut. He's a bit old for one now, and it's much more painful as an adult. Not sure that little extra sensitivity is worth the pain at this point.
Spoiler <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden rehab director says Oden will return to South Florida on Monday to begin work with Heat.</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366245357220405248">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Greg Oden: "My biggest goal is to be playing basketball again.. . . It's still weird to say I'm a Miami Heat . . . To me it's not real yet."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366245872259956736">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden: "After that surgery in 2012, my last surgery, my doctor said, 'Just be a regular person.' " Said NBA TV motivated him to get back.</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366246176216989696">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden, on where he stands, "I got an old body. My body is not going to be what I was when I was18."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366246369305960449">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden said his role hasn't been defined, said Monday starts that process, "That's when it's really going to come in."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366246602932879362">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden, on whether he is certain his body will allow him to play, "If somehow it says no, then it says no."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366246955044704256">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden said he moved from Indianapolis to Columbus, Ohio, when he was mistaken at a Pacers-Heat game for Roy Hibbert.</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366247751270400000">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Greg Oden, "I got to get back. I know it's going to be a long process." He is talking about playing in successful five-minute bursts.</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366248054866706432">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden's therapist, "He's in full basketball mode. There's no more rehabilitation. We're beyond that point."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366248561177931779">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Greg Oden's therapist said Oden's "go date" all along was Aug. 1. Therapist said it was like he "opened the biggest gift he ever opened."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366249253636542465">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden, "My knee's good. I'm able to walk, jumping, running."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366249460122132480">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden said he will go through maintenance "rest of my life . . . will have to warm up to warm up."</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366249508801224704">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oden's expectation starting Monday, "I don't know exactly. I'm just ready to listen and work." Said he expects agility, jumping, court work.</p>— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/statuses/366250050935984130">August 10, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Oden experiment could do wonders for both of them. I didn't realize Oden was so psychologically scarred from breaking down and not being able to play, but looking back it makes sense. After his rookie (or maybe sophmore) season, I remember him saying something along the lines of "basketball's not about fun anymore, it's about winning. I don't play to enjoy myself". And (as the Indiana tweet mentioned) it must really be a blow when random strangers ask if you played ball before, or why someone so tall doesn't play basketball. Then there's the whole impact of being labeled a bust and being picked before Durant. I hope it works out for him (as much as I hate seeing the Heat do well). Who knows, maybe that five minute spurt thing will work? He can play like fifteen minutes a game, a few minutes at a time, and do nothing but block shots and rebound. Not like they need that 15th roster spot anyway. I am a little concerned though, that Oden's own doctor told him to stop playing.
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If Greg Oden stays healthy this year: A. It will be one of the all time great comeback stories. B. The Heat will be completely unstoppable.
I'm actually pulling for him. What a great story this is, a true feel good story. I would love for him to be dominant.
