Oden likely out for 2007-2008

[dabvu2498]

Oden Undergoes Microfracture Surgery


An exploratory arthroscopic surgery performed on Greg Oden today revealed cartilage damage to the Portland Trail Blazers rookie’s right knee. Oden is likely to miss the 2007-08 NBA season.

"Greg had an arthroscopy and a micro fracture surgery today," said team physician Dr. Don Roberts, who preformed the surgery. "He was found to have articular cartilage damage in his right knee. The area of injury was not large and we were able to treat it with micro fracture, which stimulates the growth of cartilage. There are things about this that are positive for Greg. First of all he is young. The area where the damage was is small and the rest of his knee looked normal. All those are good signs for a complete recovery from micro fracture surgery."

Oden is expected to be on crutches for up to eight weeks. Recovery time from micro fracture surgery varies from person to person, but generally takes between six and 12 months for full recovery.

"Certainly this is a setback, but our future is still incredibly bright," said Trail Blazers General Manager Kevin Pritchard. "Is it disappointing? Yes. However, this is a great core of talent and players of strong character and will continue to be."

Oden, the #1 pick in June’s NBA Draft, averaged 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds for Ohio State last season, leading the Buckeyes to the NCAA national championship game as a freshman.

"We know this discouraging news for all of our fans, however, the people of Portland are very enthusiastic and compassionate about their Trail Blazers and I know they will stand behind Greg and the team during his recovery," said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. "We believe our fans and sponsors are going to continue to support us because they know we’re headed in the right direction."

http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Oden_Undergoes_Microfracture_S-236705-1218.html

[Johnny Footstool]

Tough luck for Oden and the Blazers. I hope he heals fully and is back to full strength next season.

[DoogMinAmo]

Tough luck for Oden and the Blazers. I hope he heals fully and is back to full strength next season.

Or possibly a great, great thing. They could have the #1 pick two years in a row, or at least another lottery pick. Nothing helps more when rebuilding.

[cumberlandreds]

Is Oden the next coming of Sam Bowie for the Blazers? I'm sure they can't help but think that.

[dabvu2498]

Is Oden the next coming of Sam Bowie for the Blazers? I'm sure they can't help but think that.

Crazy thing is that for the most part, the Blazers were still pretty good in what should have been the Sam Bowie Era.

They weren't the Lakers or the Bulls, but they didn't suck.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

Tough luck for Oden and the Blazers. I hope he heals fully and is back to full strength next season.

I hope the same, but it's highly unlikely. Microfracture surgery is never a good thing. Lots of players can have it and still be effective, but it takes away a lot of explosiveness, so he may never fulfill his full potential. Having knee problems at such young age also isn't going to do him any favors, but he can still be a very good player and I hope for the best for Greg.

[Blimpie]

Is Oden the next coming of Sam Bowie for the Blazers? I'm sure they can't help but think that.Another difference was that Sam Bowie's injury history should have been a known commodity to the Blazers when he was drafted. While at UK, Bowie broke his leg(s) multiple times and had to redshirt due to his chronic leg problems.

However, back then, you simply could not be the team which passed on 7+ footers who were available come selection time. Nowadays, the European flavor has infused the game resulting in a level of play that is so much faster by the front court players. In fact, if Bowie were a fifth-year senior in 2007-08, he may not have even been selected in the draft--let alone be taken in the Top 3.

[cumberlandreds]

Another difference was that Sam Bowie's injury history should have been a known commodity to the Blazers when he was drafted. While at UK, Bowie broke his leg(s) multiple times and had to redshirt due to his chronic leg problems.

However, back then, you simply could not be the team which passed on 7+ footers who were available come selection time. Nowadays, the European flavor has infused the game resulting in a level of play that is so much faster by the front court players. In fact, if Bowie were a fifth-year senior in 2007-08, he may not have even been selected in the draft--let alone be taken in the Top 3.

Yes the Blazers should have known that. I'm a UK fan and those injuries Bowie had were awfully frustrating. It was actually a fracture that just wouldn't heal. I have never before or since seen anything like that was.

[Chip R]

I wonder, when they do the surgery, if they will count his rings and see how old he really is. ;)

[Unassisted]

Or possibly a great, great thing. They could have the #1 pick two years in a row, or at least another lottery pick. Nothing helps more when rebuilding.

Kind of like when David Robinson missed most of a season due to injury and the Spurs ended up with lottery pick Tim Duncan.

[registerthis]

I wonder, when they do the surgery, if they will count his rings and see how old he really is. ;)

Come on, he doesn't look a day over 42.

[gm]

The Blazers' buzzard's luck with drafting centers goes beyond Bowie. Walton (feet) Mychal Thompson (broke his leg after rookie season) Sabonis (heel)...Oden is just the lastest setback in Portland's "brittle pivot" legacy.

If Roy and Aldridge stay healthy Portland's W/L record will improve. If the team (even with Przybilla at center, instead of Oden) wasn't in the west they'd be in the playoffs, guaranteed.

[Roy Tucker]

I wonder if the OSU medical staff would have found this if he had stayed in college.

[BoxingRed]

Hmmmm. No one seems to be harping on how he should have stayed at OSU now. Oden did the smart thing by entering the draft and things like this go a long way to proving it.

I guess he will have time to go back and hit some of those great college parties he would have missed out on had he not signed for millions of guaranteed dollars.

[gm]

I wonder if the OSU medical staff would have found this if he had stayed in college.

The MRI for Oden's knees checked out, pre-draft. The spot needing m/f surgery was small and the rest of the knee was sound, per the Dr. The fracture is not in a weight-bearing area.

Sounds like the injury occured this summer, though Oden doesn't remember a specific event that caused it. Here's a link to videos of Oden playing on that knee during the last week of August

http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/index.html

[wvkeeper]

Sam Bowie

[registerthis]

Hmmmm. No one seems to be harping on how he should have stayed at OSU now.

Actually, most people on this board understood that Oden's decision was the correct one. it doesn't mean that OSU fans didn't *want* him back, but I remember hardly anyone claiming that his was a bad decision.

[MaineRed]

This guy is going to go down as one of the greatest bust ever. He could barely stay on the floor during college. If it wasn't an injury it was foul trouble. Now he is out for his first NBA year.

Yeah, good luck with that.

[redsfanmia]

This guy is going to go down as one of the greatest bust ever. He could barely stay on the floor during college. If it wasn't an injury it was foul trouble. Now he is out for his first NBA year.

Yeah, good luck with that.

He is 19 years old, if he sits out 1 year he starts his NBA career at 20. Thats a little soon to call the guy a bust.

[paintmered]

He is 19 years old, if he sits out 1 year he starts his NBA career at 20. Thats a little soon to call the guy a bust.

Right, let the kid/freakishly old man play when he's healthy before labeling him a bust.

[MaineRed]

How about if I just call him a bust now. I have seen Oden play and have seen him pile up these injuries. I read today that he has one leg longer than the other. That can't be good for a seven footer.

I'm not saying it is set in stone, it is just my opinion. Bust.

[BoxingRed]

Actually, most people on this board understood that Oden's decision was the correct one. it doesn't mean that OSU fans didn't *want* him back, but I remember hardly anyone claiming that his was a bad decision.

That's true, but there were several people arguing that the college/OSU experience was worth more than an NBA contract. People are entitled to that opinion, but it would have been a disaster for Oden if he had not entered the draft and suffered an injury like this one.

[Unassisted]

One of our local paper's columnists who covers the NBA beat says that the surgery Oden is having can be career-changing... and not in a good way. I believe the sentence he used was "Ask the Phoenix Suns whether Amare Stoudamire is the same player he was before he had this surgery."

[dabvu2498]

One of our local paper's columnists who covers the NBA beat says that the surgery Oden is having can be career-changing... and not in a good way. I believe the sentence he used was "Ask the Phoenix Suns whether Amare Stoudamire is the same player he was before he had this surgery."

Very true. He's got a tough road ahead.

Anfernee Hardaway and Kerry Kittles were never the smae players.

But there have been some successes with it... Chris Webber and Jason Kidd.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/microfracture.html Here's a list of players who have had the micro-fracture surgery.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

This guy is going to go down as one of the greatest bust ever. He could barely stay on the floor during college. If it wasn't an injury it was foul trouble. Now he is out for his first NBA year.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Ha ha ha.

Good one.

[registerthis]

How about if I just call him a bust now.

Well, I could call myself Emperor, and it would mean about as much.

[registerthis]

That's true, but there were several people arguing that the college/OSU experience was worth more than an NBA contract.

Oh yeah, I can tell you right now that there's no way I would have traded those 25¢ drafts at Sloopy's for a $100 million NBA contract. That would have been lunacy.

[MaineRed]

Well, I could call myself Emperor, and it would mean about as much.

What exactly is your point? That I'm not allowed to have an opinion on the matter unless it lines up with yours?

Why is it OK for everyone to opine that Oden is the next great center but it isn't OK for anyone to have the opposite feeling?

I don't see any of these sarcastic Emperor post when someone predicts great things for Oden.

Oden hasn't even played a game in the NBA yet and he is already the Tiger Woods of hyped returns.

[WVRed]

How does a core of OJ Mayo, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden sound for 2008-2009?

[gm]

How does a core of OJ Mayo, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden sound for 2008-2009?

Pritchard will not draft a hot dog like Mayo; OJ doesn't fit "the culture"

(OTOH, Derrick Rose has a name that says "Portland" and he sounds more like a "Nate McMillian kind" of point guard. But I'm not so sure they'll draft a PG next spring. Brandon Roy could well be the team's PG of the future, with Euro-league MVP Rudy Fernandez coming over from Spain to play #2, next fall. They may target a small forward, instead)

And even without Oden, I'm not ready to concede that the '07-08 Blazers have no shot at a WC playoff berth

[HumnHilghtFreel]

(OTOH, Derrick Rose has a name that says "Portland" and he sounds more like a "Nate McMillian kind" of point guard. But I'm not so sure they'll draft a PG next spring. Brandon Roy could well be the team's PG of the future, with Euro-league MVP Rudy Fernandez coming over from Spain to play #2, next fall. They may target a small forward, instead)


That would be fitting, isn't The Rose Garden the name of Portland's arena?

[DTCromer]

bust. . . . . err. . . i mean bump

[Razor Shines]

I feel bad for him. Kevin Durant is probably looking pretty good to the Blazers right about now, but it was a no brainer to take Oden, or so I was told.

[Caveat Emperor]

Over / Under on number of "old man" jokes that get made this weekend?

[traderumor]

bust. . . . . err. . . i mean bumpThat's classy---and inaccurate use of the term. A bust is someone who turns out to be not as good as projected. This is injury related.

[OSUredsFAN]

That's classy---and inaccurate use of the term. A bust is someone who turns out to be not as good as projected. This is injury related.

exactly, I also hate when people say that Ki-Jana Carter was a bust.

[dabvu2498]

That's classy---and inaccurate use of the term. A bust is someone who turns out to be not as good as projected. This is injury related. Sam Bowie agrees with you.

[traderumor]

Sam Bowie agrees with you.There are a lot of guys who qualify. It is one reason I do not ever begrudge the kid that leaves for the pros when the money is there because you just never know, no matter how talented.