Oden V. Durant

By Andy

It’s only a handful of hours before the NBA Draft and the big question leading up to it WAS Oden or Durant. Well, a report from the Trailblazers said early Thursday morning that the Blazers would be taking Oden with the first pick, meaning Seattle will be taking Durant, unless Michael Jordan comes back in his early 90’s form. Here’s a little piece on the pros and cons of both these soon to be mega stars.

Greg Oden: 7-0, 280.

Oden is the best big man coming out of the draft since Tim Duncan, and look what he has done with a team that changes the roster like hotel bed sheets. He is a true forward/center and prefers to play with his back to the basket and loves playing defense. His strength around the basket has not been seen in a center since the Shaq and Ewing days. This guy can score on double teams because of his fabulous footwork. On defense he is something special. He has developed a shot blocking ability, keeping the ball in play and not putting himself into foul trouble. His presence in the lane alone stops dribble penetration. But will it scare NBA All-Stars, probably not as much as Big Ten players but still will alter a lot of shots. With all of this you would think he is the easiest pick, but he does have some flaws.

With his size, he moves very lethargic up and down the court. He will not be able to keep up with a run and gun team, which ultimately could put him on the bench. Also this “freak” has two different size legs. Right now it has shown not to be a problem, but as he endures the long schedule of the NBA for a few years, what will his back be like? Doctors are saying he will develop back problems, but not sure how soon or how extreme. Another thing to worry about with Mr. Oden is his wrist injury. He broke it going into his freshman year at OSU, and came back quicker than team doctors thought. He wears a brace on it, and says its fine. It did not seem to affect him during the NCAA tourney, leading his young team to the Final game, only to lose to a much better FLA team. This game in many people’s eyes was his coming out party. He showed he was the best center in the game putting up 25 points and scoring at will on a stingy FLA defense. But again, is the wrist fine, I don’t think it really matters because guys break and pull stuff all the time. He has put in the rehab time and is fine. One last thing to chew on is his “Killer” instinct. When you watch him play it seems as though he’s only going through the motions. He has no facial expressions and seems bored. Does he have that edge that he will need in the West? Only time can tell.

Kevin Durant: 6-9, 225.

Durant in the same respect as Oden is the best player, and the most NBA ready player in the Draft. He will be an instant impact to the Supersonics and the NBA. At only 18 years old he is young, but plays like Kobe Bryant circa 2001. His length is one of his best attributes. He can take the smaller guards into the post; he has great post moves, and he can then create miss-matches outside with big men, having a very quick first step. His dribble jump shot is as smooth as anyone’s and has unbelievable range. Once inside the lane, his creativeness and mobility allow him to get to the rim in a number of different ways. According to a colleague of mine, “the guy is a pimp” and was supposed to lead his team to a NCAA title this year. I’ll agree with him on that statement. He is the type of player that when matched with any group of guys, automatically makes them contenders, a la Carmelo with Syracuse. The thing that most people love about this kid is that he has that “Killer” instinct that Oden doesn’t. The guy wants to win, and only knows winning. He will do whatever it takes to win, and likes the pressure. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove, but really, he doesn’t have to prove anything. Just watch his game against Texas A&M when he hit big shot after big shot and out dueled Acie Law IV for the W. Or watch him score 30+ points in Big XII game after Big XII game. The guy is a winner.

Again the questions regarding Durant, what are his weaknesses? Well, he doesn’t have many but the ones he does are ones to be identified. If you’ve ever seen him, he does not have the same physique as Tiger Woods. He is skinny and not that strong in the weight room. But coming from a guy with the same body time, there is weight room strength and court strength. He showed in college that he do post up and could guard big men. That’s all good but what about when he has to guard bigger men in the NBA. Can he is the big question. At Texas he did not go through a military like strength workout. He lifted, but not to gain weight. Once in the NBA, his team strength and conditioning coach will be able to get this guy the strength that weight he needs to be, to be an NBA All Star for a long time. That should not be a big issue. Another flaw of Durant’s is he sometimes has the tendency to ball hog. Yes he’s the best player on the team and wants the ball, but finding your teammates when you’re doubled teamed is something he has got to learn to do better. Coaches in the NBA have seen guys like this come and go, and always find ways to shut them down for a game or two, it is there where Durant needs to learn to make the extra pass and box out or screen away.

Either way both of these guys will be in the NBA Elite group for a long time, pending health and personal issues. If I’m the Portland Trailblazers, I’m taking Oden. The reasons are because true centers are rare and have shown to win championships. Scorers like Durant can be found almost every year in the draft, yes not as special as Durant will be, but guys who can put u p relatively similar numbers. Oden is a guy you can build your franchise around for the next decade and become a contender in the West. The last reason is obvious, he is WNY native. He lived in Buffalo until the age of 7.

Interesting side note … Buffalo, NY has produced the #1 draft picks in the NBA and NHL drafts this year. Good things do happen to this city in sports, if you’re a big draft and development guy.