Greg Oden Finally Ready to Flourish

Greg Oden’s rookie season has come and gone. It had its up and downs, but do we really have any idea of what he will become?

There were all sorts of challenges he had to face and overcome in his first year, so how well can you really assess the type of player he will become?

Yes it's true, Oden's rookie season didn't necessarily "live up to the hype" but the potential was undeniable. He actually had some of the best rebounding percentages in the league and it truly showed when he was able to avoid foul trouble and stay on the floor.

At the moment, Oden is back in Columbus, Ohio, taking summer courses and working out at the University of Ohio State. A lot of Blazers' fans were upset when he elected not to stay in Portland in the offseason and work on his game. What's funny is it just may have been the move that he needed to make to assist him in rediscovering his love for the game.

Greg was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft. One of the most touted prospects of the past decade, and his rookie season was delayed by a full year after undergoing micro-fracture surgery.

I always find it funny when journalists and other NBA fans are so quick to write-off Oden and call him a bust. People seem to have forgotten the kid was cleared for full contact only weeks before training camp and hadn't played any sort of basketball for a good 11 months before that.

Numerous articles started to come out about how good Oden was looking in training camp leading up to the season. Some even went as far as saying he would make the all-star team in his first NBA season.

The pressure was building, no doubt. Then the season opener in Los Angeles came and Oden found himself trying to live up to ridiculous expectations, with limited mobility (his knee still healing), all the while playing in a league with far superior talent than the one he came from and thrived in before.

We all knew Oden was out of shape and carrying a few extra pounds, but with all of the pressure he was trying to manage there's no question that it was all taking its toll.

With a full summer for Oden to condition and work on his game, do not be surprised if he is a leading a candidate for the MIP (Most Improved Player) award next season. What hurt Oden the most was his foul trouble, which just might be the only thing that could prevent him from fulfilling his destiny of becoming a great player. To overcome this problem however, you need to identify the root cause of it—lateral movement.

If history has shown us anything, it's that micro-fracture patients take some time to regain the athleticism they once had (Jason Kidd, Amare Stoudemire, Zach Randolph). They do regain it though.

Oden definitely seemed limited by his knee. His vertical leaping ability wasn't what it was in college and his footwork and speed definitely weren't at the level that had scouts drooling in pre-draft workouts.

The big question with Oden this offseason is what he's going to do to improve this offseason. What shape is he going to report to training camp in? He seems to have certain struggles on the court, but the majority of them are directly correlated with his knee. It's healing fine, but with this surgery it's all about being able to trust the repair job.

With the appropriate drills and offseason regimen, Oden will be back. He knows where to be to grab the rebounds and block the shots. Him regaining his legs is going to allow for a new Greg Oden to emerge.

It's going to be an interesting offseason. If Portland can land a point guard upgrade that can set up players around him, that will help his progression that much more. Regardless though, look for a slimmer and livelier Oden to emerge from this offseason. If history is any indication, his legs should finally be coming around and I believe this dominant center will finally have the tools he needs to show what he can really do.

After watching his rookie year come and go, how do you guys feel as fans? Do you think he’s still learning to trust his knee? Do you think with less pressure in his second NBA season it will allow him to relax and just play his game? How do you think next year will go for this once “can’t miss” prospect?