NBA Lockout: Greg Oden Will Benefit From Time Off The Court

The "Glass Man" still has All-Star caliber talent.

Day 53 of the NBA Lockout.

Enough cynicism. I, for one, am hopeful that the owners and players will reach an agreement by November. "Hopeful", note the word choice. If you checked out Bill Simmons' "chat" with David Stern on the B.S. Report podcast, you'd hop on the "hope" train too. A little optimism can't hurt. JFS is here to turn negatives to positives. Let's take a look at a particular player who stands to benefit from some time off the court.


Oft-injured Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden has played 82 games (the equivalent of one NBA season) over a period of four years. Microfracture surgery on his right knee ended his rookie season before it began. The 2008-2009 season saw Oden miss five more weeks, on account of various injuries. On December 5, 2009, Oden fractured his the patella in his left knee, which required season-ending surgery. Suffering many setbacks on the road to recovery, Oden was forced to miss all of the 2010-2011 season for microfracture surgery on his ailing left knee.

While the former #1 overall pick showed flashes of dominance in those 82 games he did play, averaging 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.43 blocks with a shooting percentage north of 57 percent, injury concerns far outweigh potential benefits for the majority of teams looking to add the restricted free agent to their roster for this "coming" season. The Blazers, wary of Sam Bowie comparisons, offered Oden a $8.8 million qualifying contract for 2011-2012, hinting that they haven't given up on the dream of an Oden-Aldridge-Wallace frontcourt. Trail Blazers President Larry Miller spoke to InsideHoops about the move.

“We’ve stood behind Greg Oden every day since he became a Trail Blazer and that continues with today’s announcement. Despite the setbacks he’s experienced, he continues to be resilient in working tirelessly on his rehabilitation. We’re all very encouraged with not only his progress, but with his commitment and determination to return to the basketball court.”

Oden is currently working out in Los Angeles (as a Yahoo! Sports report report from two months ago suggests) but suspiciously little has been divulged about the current progress of his rehab. One can only assume things are moving slowly, as "slow" is the only speed that Greg Oden's injuries can heal. Microfracture surgery generally requires a year of recovery, but the Blazers' front office isn't going to test the issue until the 12-month mark, at the earliest. Taking into account the time it will take to get Oden back to game speed, he's looking at a return date of sometime in January 2012, which could very well be the month the NBA returns to action.

Oden's natural advantage: can fit two women on his giant lap.

Statements like "Greg Oden has suffered" are bound to be scrutinized, as critics point to the millions he was paid over four production-less seasons, but the mental strain stemming from all his setbacks definitely took a toll (see: scandal; and no, I'm not posting "pics"). He kept a blog on the progress of his rehabilitation during his missed rookie season, optimistic about his future. After his second season-ending injury, he was more reserved, privately growing frustrated with how his career was playing out. But he has since made some form of peace with his bad luck; as the Oregonian reported in September 2010, Oden gave up drinking and going out to clubs. He recently admitted that he had to undergo "interventions" to deal with the mental toll of injuries. Bill Duffy, head of BDA Sports, the agency that represents Oden, opened up on Portland Radio station 750 AM on the "mental rehab" of the star center.

"Counseling, therapy, interventions, just to let him understand all the pressures, not to put too much pressure on himself. Everybody needs that. Not just an athlete but someone to talk to and share your thoughts and your concerns and just get reassurance. If you do things the right way, stay patient, keep your eye on the prize, you'll be fine."

For now, with the lockout chewing up the last days of summer, the pressure is off Oden. There's no hurry to rush him back onto the court and risk another career-altering setback. Given his prolific injury history, Oden needs to be completely healthy before he returns. Most importantly, the league seems to have forgotten that Oden is still only 23 years old! Portland is privileged (not taking the last four seasons into account) to have "dibs" on a 7-footer with the type of versatility that Oden has shown in a smattering of games at the professional level. The Blazers know what kind of potential they've invested in. If, if, IF Oden can stay healthy and produce at the same levels as in his breakout 2009-2010 season, Portland will have their big man of the next five years, and Oden will get the monkey off his back. 

Then again, not to be a jinx, Blazers fans might once again be ringing in the New Year with the jarring image of a giant man rolling around in the paint, clutching his knee.


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Dean Karoliszyn is the Editor-in-Chief and cofounder of Jabroni Free Sports.