Ten years ago, Greg Oden was a freshman ready to set the college basketball world on fire as a young phenom at Ohio State.
One National Championship run and a failed NBA career later, and Oden finds himself back in Columbus. The former No. 1 overall pick enrolled as a 28-year-old sophomore majoring in sports industry. Oden recently talked with the Indianapolis Star about his journey from diaper dandy to student and manager of the men’s basketball team.
Just in case you forgot, Oden joined the Buckeyes as one of the top recruits in the country. In his one and only year with Ohio State, Oden helped lead the Buckeyes to the National Championship game, where they lost to the Florida Gators.
After one year, Oden made his way to the NBA, where he was drafted ahead of Kevin Durant by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 1 overall pick. Knee injuries derailed his career, and he soon found himself out of the league.
Off the court, things weren’t much better. In 2014, Oden was charged with one count of battery resulting in serious bodily injury and was required to do domestic violence counseling and was placed on probation.
Now, Oden seems to have made some positive steps in his life. Five weeks ago, Oden became a father. He’s also taking classes once again at Ohio State and will help out with the team is as a student coach.
As for his basketball career? Oden told the Indy Star “It’s over”. Here’s more:
Oden is enrolled this semester at Ohio State, a 28-year-old sophomore majoring in sports industry. When asked if he’d play basketball again, he said, “I wish. It’s over.” Instead, he is back with the Buckeyes as a student coach, helping out the players and Matta any way he can.
“I wouldn’t say I regret anything,” Oden told IndyStar Thursday in a phone interview. “I would say I just wish I did things better.”
“I wanted to stay around basketball and coach gave me a lifeline to be here,” he said. “To give me something to do with my afternoons.
“I’m still trying to figure out my life. Since I’ve been in fourth grade, all I’ve known was basketball. I’m just trying to better myself and work on my degree and set something up for the future of my family.”
Oden seems to have turned his life around, which is good after he had to endure an NBA career of misfortunes. It’s also good on Thad Matta for not turning a blind eye to Oden when he needed help.
