Greg Oden or Kevin Durant?

[stuart]

So you're the Portland Trailblazers (http://www.nba.com/blazers) (click on the link to see a really cool flash animation). You can pick the offensively raw Greg Oden or the multi-faceted offensive talent Kevin Durant.

Oden, whom played with a gimpy right hand throughout his freshman season is a monster on the boards and protects the hoop as a center should (you hear that Yao Ming?). His build and defense reminds some of Bill Russell. And Greg Oden shows the discipline to become a reliable low-post scorer.

Kevin Durant on the other hand, is a versatile offensive machine -- three pointers, pull ups, off the dribble, back to the basket monster. Durant has shown flashes of being able to play some good defense also. His versatility reminds some of another Kevin -- Kevin Garnett. Both seem like great guys and have hugh-potential to become franchise players.

So you're the portland blazers, who do you pick and why?

Stuart

[Czarkazem13]

I love Kevin Durant's game, but if I had the first pick it is hard to skip over the prospect of Greg Oden.

Despite the posibility of him getting in foul trouble, defensively he is NBA ready. With his left hand he shot around 70% from the charity stripe if memory serves me right and will only get better with the improvement of his right wrist. Not too mention his overall offensive game.

Quality big men are hard to come by, while scoring swingmen are a dime a dozen (even with the hype).

[T.W.Is.M.]

I c that the first votes r in favour of Oden,in fact I voted 4 Oden too.The truth is I haven't seen Durant play, but I've seen Oden.That was not the reason though.The reason is that Oden is a 7-footer around whom u can build a team, which is very rare nowadays.
However, this situation reminds me of another one(I was too young 2 know what bball was back then, but I can compare things a bit).Back in 1984 the Houston Rockets had the top pick.They could choose between the Nigerian native Hakeem Olajuwon, a dominant center, master of technique and a great scorer, leader and winner, the most athletic young player in the league called Michael Jordan!:D We all know who they chose, we all know what they missed(and what they gained of course).The question is:did the Rockets choose right?
P.S.Jordan wasn't selected in number 2, the Bulls had number 3 and picked him.The team that had the number 2 pick and made the fatal mistake was...the Portland Trail Blazers!Will they do it again?;)

[Levenspiel]

Rockets did the right thing in that draft imho. Probably someone has already asked this to the GM of then Rockets GM, but I guess he might choose Olajuwon today over Jordan again.

Following a similar logic, I think Blazers should pick Oden.


***

1984 Draft (http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1984&lg=N)
1. H. Olajuwon
2. S. Bowie
3. M. Jordan
4. S. Perkins
5. C. Barkley

[Phantim3dx]

oden over durant. and not because im anti UT fan or anything. you guys have akready hit the major points. i would also like to add oden from what ive noticed while watching his games on tv, has this compusure like tim duncan who doesn't really talk a lot, just keeps to himself and gets otheres involved, and doesnt necessarily have to be in the limelight.

[watiwawa]

ODEN!!!

i think give him tym on his offense... and he'll become the EXCITING tim duncan

[bobo81]

Oden easily wins for me. He already has moves in the paint that most college guys developed later in the NBA. Durant won't be so "multi-tasked" in the NBA, just watch. As long as Oden can stay healthy he will give the blazers a run for their money.

[saints13]

Oden :p

[Stojakovic]

i'd say it depends on the team, however, even then, it is very very hard to decide.

[robbe]

I'd go with the overwhelming defensive inside presence rather than offensive talent, even if Durant turns out to be a mixture of Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett. In fact, not many teams led by big time scorers have gone deep into the postseason.

Oden reminds me a lot of Bill Russell. He'll make everyone around him better and have a huge impact on games on both ends of the floor.

One thing that frightens me about him is his age: 19. He looks like 35.

[Lebron23]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6juMVqT09bo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eosDUaQMleg&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlubfsVGq8I&mode=related&search=

Kevin Durant, The Future of the NBA and the master and the ruler of the Western Conference. ( for many more years to come)

[Lebron23]

What I like about Durant's game is he already have a better jumpshoot than Lebron when Bron was 18. His offensive game is more polished than any of the player, who was drafted since 2004 and he is also the tallest SG guard in the league at 6'9" (Barefeet) and 6'10.25" in shoes with a 7'4 3/4" Wingspan. Durant frequently used it to his advantage by posting up bigger players, while shooting over smaller guards.

I would not even be suprised if he will average a double double performance in his rookie season. He might possibly be the best rookie in this years draft and become one of the most talented scorers of all time.


Durant to Start at SG

Tacoma News Tribune - 09/05 - 11:08 AM EST




According to Seattle beat writer Eric Williams, he believes Kevin Durant will start at shooting guard during his rookie season.

Jeff Green, the Sonics' other lottery pick, will start at small forward or be one of the first players off the bench at that position.


http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/sonics/


I think Kevin Durant will play the SG position on offense, but defensively, he'll spend more time matched up with some of league's Small Forward. Durant's pretty quick himself, but his freakishly long arms allows him recover against faster, but much smaller players. He need to bulk up more if he wants to consider himself as Power Forward. I think his game is more of an athletic Dirk Nowitzki and his defense reminds me of the early days of Garnett with the Timberwolves.

[bobo81]

Durant at SG is weird, isnt it? I always took him as a SF, but then again he is pretty small in size. Well I hope he has improved his speed over the summer cause the last time I watched him play he needed more quickness.

[warren99]

Can Kevin Durant escape the jinx of being the second pick of the NBA draft?
Sep 26, 07 14:28

http://www.sportingo.com/basketball/can_kevin_durant_escape_jinx/1001,5075