By Patrick DorseyThe Daily Northwestern
Greg Oden came. He saw. And … he kept looking.
At least that’s what it seemed like last Wednesday, when freshman hype machine Greg Oden showed up at Welsh-Ryan Arena and appeared to be a sleepy giant.
Yes, his numbers (17 points, 17 rebounds, 6-of-7 shooting) were impressive in Ohio State’s 59-50 win over Northwestern, especially for a freshman using his off hand while recovering from right wrist surgery.
Still, Oden is supposed to be the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft. An item on ESPN.com recently implied that Oden is part of a three-way race for Player of the Year.
Sorry, not even close.
Against NU, Oden looked sluggish and sometimes lost on offense. Most of his points came while shuffling his feet, which was ignored in a fashion that would put NBA refs to shame.
And while his talent is obvious, this game further proved he’s not even the best player in the Big Ten (Wisconsin’s Alando Tucker is), and certainly not better than this year’s top college player – and next year’s should-be No. 1 pick.
That would be Texas freshman forward Kevin Durant.
As a basketball fan who prefers the NBA to college, I’ve seen very little of Durant. But I believe what I hear. So I’ll let others do the talking.
Draft guru Chad Ford: “(Oden’s) not the best freshman in the country. That honor goes to Durant … (who) has drawn comparisons, from some scouts, to Kevin Garnett with a jump shot.”
Gerald Green, swingman on the Celtics, to the Worecester Telegram & Gazette: “I like (Oden) a lot, but think the best player in college basketball is Kevin Durant.”
Durant’s stat sheet: 24.4 points per game, 11.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.8 blocks – all on 48.5 percent shooting, along with a 84.6 percent mark from the line.
And Oden’s still No. 1?
Sure, there’s the adage that you always draft size – but the Blazers took Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan, and the Pistons passed on Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony in favor of Darko Milicic.
Yep, flawless logic. Draft big men and ignore immediate superstars. Just don’t be surprised when you end up back in the lottery, hoping Jeffrey Jordan declares early.
Free-Throws
The Suns’ 33-3 tear is stunning, but consider this: Phoenix has yet to beat Dallas, San Antonio, Utah, Denver or the Lakers this season. It faces the Spurs for the first time in two months this Thursday … Not to beat a dead horse, but Minnesota’s firing of Dwane Casey last week made about as much sense as round-the-clock coverage of Barbaro’s health.
Assistant Sports Editor Patrick Dorsey is a Medill senior. He can be reached at [email protected].
