| Greg Oden became a household name for many | | | | in the 2007 NBA Draft with the fourth overall |
| sports fans during the 2006-2007 basketball | | | | selection. With no injuries to dampen his playing |
| season he spent with the Ohio State University | | | | time Oden along with talented 6'1" guard |
| (OSU) Buckeyes. Unfortunately for Oden and his | | | | teammate Conley never lost a home basketball |
| fans the 7'0" 285 pound center has failed to live | | | | game in either high school or college. |
| up to the expectations placed on him as a | | | | The first major injury that Oden suffered in his |
| number one overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft | | | | career came on September 14, 2007 when the |
| by the Portland Trailblazers. The struggles that | | | | seven foot center had microfracture surgery on |
| Greg has endured at the professional basketball | | | | his right knee. The surgery was performed |
| level have been largely attributed to persistent | | | | between being drafted and the start of his rookie |
| injuries. | | | | season. Regrettably for Oden supporters the |
| Oden was born in January of 1988 in Buffalo, New | | | | surgery which was performed about six weeks |
| York and excelled as a youth basketball player. In | | | | before the start of the basketball season kept |
| both his junior (2005) and senior (2006) basketball | | | | the big man off the court for the whole season. |
| seasons at Lawrence North High School in | | | | In his NBA debut at the start of the 2008-2009 |
| Indianapolis, Indiana Greg was named the Parade | | | | season Oden left a game against the Lakers due |
| High School Basketball Player of the Year. Prior to | | | | to a foot injury after only playing 13 minutes and |
| graduating in 2006 Oden led the Lawrence High | | | | scoring zero points. Greg returned in a couple of |
| School Wildcats to three consecutive basketball | | | | weeks and remained healthy through the second |
| state championships. Throughout his entire prep | | | | half of November and all of December and |
| career there was never any indication that Greg | | | | January. On February 13, 2009 Greg suffered a |
| Oden would catch the injury bug that has seemed | | | | left knee injury that sidelined him for three |
| to sideline his NBA career. | | | | weeks. The following season Oden re-injured the |
| In both high school and college Greg Oden played | | | | same left knee on December 5, 2009. A |
| alongside current Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike | | | | fractured left patella tendon required surgery and |
| Conley, Jr. Mike, the son of Olympic gold medalist | | | | ended his 2009-2010 season roughly 15% of the |
| triple jumper Mike Conley, Sr., was drafted three | | | | way through the year. |
| picks after his high school teammate Greg Oden | | | | |