Greg Oden is doing what he can to stay around basketball. The Former No. 1 overall pick, whose professional career spanned only 105 games, a conference championship and three micro fracture surgeries, is no longer playing basketball. The injury prone Oden isn’t ready to give up on being around basketball altogether, though.
Oden has returned to his alma mater Ohio State and is currently taking classes as a sophomore. Coach Thad Matta has also extended the opportunity for him to come on as a student-coach for the team.
As a player for the Buckeyes, Oden was an unstoppable force and led the team to a National Championship invitation. They would ultimately lose to a Gators team that included NBA players Joakim Noah and Al Horford. He was selected first overall in the NBA draft after the season, immediately needed micro fracture surgery and was never the same. He played for the Trailblazers for parts of two season before being let go of his duties. He then latched on to the “Big Three” Miami Heat team for one season. He was eventually released from the team following a domestic violence charge.
Oden could be embarking on the beginning of a long career in coaching. Or he could flame out the same way he did in the NBA. Only time will tell.
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Photo Credit: Greg Oden, Instagram
