King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Blazers passed on Jordan for a center in '84. Big mistake. But even if Kevin Durant is another Jordan, they should take the center, Greg Oden.
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June 28, 2007 | The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly decided to take Ohio State center Greg Oden with the first pick in Thursday night's NBA draft, leaving Texas forward Kevin Durant to the Seattle SMovingOnics.
Then again, things that are decided by draft-day morning have a way of getting undecided by the time David Stern steps onto the podium. Especially when we're talking about the Portland Trail Blazers, who on draft night last year were so busy making trades that at one point or another they had the rights to every single player in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns gorilla and all Desperate Housewives unclaimed by the San Antonio Spurs.
There's been a mini-drumbeat in the past few days that the Blazers should take Durant over Oden because Durant is a singular talent, the kind of 19-year-old who can be a big contributor next year and might grow up to be the best player in the game in a few years.
Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports quotes a Central Division executive who watched Durant play in the Big 12 tournament and asked himself, "Is he better than LeBron James?" That kind of singular talent.
Dear Portland Trail Blazers: Take Greg Oden.
This is coming from the guy who's always telling teams not to go ga-ga over some stiff just because he bumps his head in doorways, not to mistake a solid talent for a franchise player just because Tony Parker looks him straight in the navel.
That's why you should listen to me. Take Greg Oden.
I have no idea how it's going to play out, whether Durant will become the greatest player to come out of the 2007 draft, whether Oden will become that player or whether, as usual, someone farther down the list will. Mike Conley Jr., anyone? Brandan Wright? Seven-foot Chinese wild card Yi Jianlian?
But let's say it's Durant. I'm happy to go with him. Best player in the draft.
Take Greg Oden.
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