Best of 2007: Oden Or Durant?

Jason M. Williams

Contributor Written on December 26, 2007

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The Portland Trail Blazers were awarded the first pick and the Seattle Supersonics won the second.

The next month saw intense workouts, interviews, physicals, and at least one daily column on who the Blazers should select among the two can't-miss prospects. When Draft Day came, the Blazers went with Oden. The Sonics were more than enamored with being stuck with Durant.

The Oden-Durant controversy was one of the biggest sports stories in 2007. It encapsulated not only the collegiate hoops world, but also the entire NBA. Fans of all levels of basketball were fortunate to watch these two teenagers, and often found themselves hoping their favorite professional team would lose enough games to be awarded one of these two potential Hall of Fame athletes.

This provided an unforeseen dynamic to the professional season, as teams began to value losing more than winning, while it provided a jolt in the arm of college basketball. Most importantly, it left fans on the edge of their seat, waiting to see which two teams would claim the keys to future NBA success—even despite Greg Oden’s unfortunate injury that will delay his NBA debut one year.

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written on December 26, 2007 Sports

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