Oden struggling in summer league

[WayOutWest]

Writers are already using the term "concern" in describing Odens debut as a pro.  He was blocked by Diop from Dallas a couple of times, there is talk about Oden playing guys who are just as big and strong as him and that his jump shot needs to adjust to the NBA, he is no longer playing against centers who are 6'8/6'9, so he needs his release to not be at his eye level cause it will continue to get blocked.

The article does mention that Tim Duncan was dominated by Greg Ostertag so this should not be any big deal.  I don't remember TD's problems in summer league but I do remember David Robinson get dunked on and pushed around by Benoit Benjamin and look what happened there.  It will be interesting how well Oden does against journeymen centers in the league, the bread and butter of the league.  He won't have to worry about going up against premier centers in the league since they are so few and far in between.

[westkoast]

This is bound to happen to ANY player making a transition into the pros facing vet players.  Diop by no means is a 'talent' in this league but he knows how to play the game.  Hence he has a contract with Dallas to play in the pros lol.  I'd take the early reports with a grain of salt.  The sports writers who cover the NBA are DYING for stories right now.  Oden is going to be just fine as he gets more experience under his belt.  I don't see him being of Kwame Brown #1 pick proportions at all.

[ziggy]

Read a few posts in some Blazer forums, and there was a few of these

"We blew it, we should have taken Durant"

"If he can't dominate in this league, then how will he do against the big boys?  We are screwed!"

"I knew all along he was overrated"

These games don't matter, and he has just spent the last 2 months traveling all over the US and back 16 times, and some people think he is supposed to suddenly be Bill Russell?  He barely turned 19 years old.  He won't be an all-star as a rookie, but this year isn't the one that matters anyway.

[JoMal]

Good thing you think the summer league does not matter, because it looks like your guy is not going to be spending any more time with it, ziggy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ap5Q4Ge8d7LeTOsGYW.ndNy8vLYF?slug=ap-trailblazers-oden&prov=ap&type=lgns

Oden to have tonsils out, will miss summer league
 
July 10, 2007

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Top draft pick Greg Oden needs to have his tonsils removed and is expected to miss the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers' summer league games.

Oden was scheduled to travel to Los Angeles for the taping of the ESPY awards and then likely return to Portland for a tonsillectomy, the team said Tuesday. A surgery date hadn't been set.

His recovery was expected to take about two weeks.

Oden, a 7-foot center who played one season at Ohio State, was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

In his summer league debut, Oden scored six points and had two rebounds before leaving with 10 fouls, the maximum allowed in the summer league. The Blazers lost 74-66 to the Boston Celtics.

In his second game against Dallas, a fatigued Oden finished with 13 points, five rebounds and nine fouls. The Mavericks won 72-68.