Trail Blazers: Oden or 0don’t

Blog by Adam Kiefaber

Last night and into the morning ESPN claims that Greg Oden has been told that he will be the first pick selected first overall in the NBA Draft.

However, foxsports.com reports that the Portland Trail Blazers haven’t annoucned that yet.

ESPN’s source is from ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher and foxsports’ source is Oden’s agent.

I think ESPN needs to clam down, but Oden should still be the first overall pick.

A ESPN report

Oden or Durant. Durant or Oden. Looks like we have an answer.

ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher reported on Wednesday night that Greg Oden’s camp has been notified by the Portland Trail Blazers that they will take him with the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.

It was not an easy choice. Oden tested better at predraft camp; Kevin Durant had the sharper workout in Portland.

Dominant big men are usually impossible to pass up, and Oden could be a great one. He has been compared to Bill Russell for his rebounding and shot blocking, and he led Ohio State to the national championship game even while never at full strength after surgery on his right wrist.

“You can see why he’d be a No. 1 pick,” Durant told reporters. “I think he’s one of the best centers to come out of college. He’s quick and agile, he’s 7-feet, 250. I’ve never seen that in a center before.”

a FOXSPORTS.com report

Greg Oden to the Blazers? Maybe, but the team says there are no guarantees.

Oden’s agent and Portland’s general manager refuted an ESPN report Wednesday that said Oden’s camp had been informed the former Ohio State phenom will be the top pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

“We haven’t been told that,” Mike Conley, Sr. told The Oregonian late Wednesday night. “(ESPN) can have their opinion, but the Blazers haven’t told us anything.”

The Oregonian report said Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard was “emphatic” that the ESPN report was premature.

“Nobody has been promised or told anything. Nobody,” Pritchard told the paper.

Oden and Kevin Durant are all but assured to be the top two picks in the draft — the only question is in what order.