Jared Sullinger: Why He Won't Follow in Greg Oden's Injury-Riddled Footsteps

The revelation that Ohio State's Jared Sullinger may have career-threatening chronic back problems couldn't have come at a worse time for the talented power forward.

The 6'9" bruiser was set to be selected between the late lottery picks and the middle of the first round. His combination of skills and strength have made him a promising option in the paint with the potential to adopt a style of play similar to that of Carlos Boozer. 

Now, all of that is in jeopardy, and otherwise-interested clubs may be deterred by the risk that Sullinger's career will either end prematurely or fail to get off the ground in the first place.

Those teams shouldn't be so quick to pass on the 20-year-old.

According to Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick, Sullinger's agent David Falk is disputing the premise that the back issues are worthy of any red flags:

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"Jared has consulted with one of the foremost specialists of backs and spines, who has vast experience treating professional athletes," Falk told SI.com. "He has explained to us that Jared had extremely tight hamstrings that became tight because he had suffered an injury that I don't think he was aware of to his hamstring. He needs to maintain vigilance with his flexibility. And if he does that, and keeps his weight at an appropriate level, then he should have absolutely no problems over the next 15 years."

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For his part, father Satch Sullinger is telling a similar story. Of course, both Satch and Falk are surely somewhat biased in their assessments, but it's not as if team doctors are entirely free of motives either. Who wants to be responsible for their team drafting the next Greg Oden?

While there's certainly some risk Sullinger becomes just that, there's also a very real chance the sudden fright is much ado about nothing—or anyway, about nothing too serious. 

There were similar concerns about a bulging disc in Oden's back prior to his selection in 2007, but the injuries that ultimately derailed his career instead had to do with his knees. That's not to say back problems won't also catch up to him, but they haven't been a culprit thus far.

There's surely good reason for lottery teams to think twice about taking Sullinger.

The potential opportunity cost is simply too great when there are so many other elite prospects available. Even if the news about Sullinger's back hadn't emerged, teams looking for big men might have preferred to go with guys like Baylor's Perry Jones III or North Carolina's John Henson.

But, it would be a shame if these potentially premature worries forced Sullinger out of the first round altogether.

Sure, he makes his living battling against other big bodies in the paint, a reality that has to make any preexisting condition a little more worrisome.

Nevertheless, he could be a quite effective post presence if he stays healthy. Sullinger averaged over 17 points a game in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns, and he's a formidable rebounder to boot. As the pool of talent begins to dwindle in the mid-to-late first round, gambling on Sullinger will look more and more reasonable.

If he doesn't follow in Oden's footsteps, he could reward a team handsomely for its optimism.