Greg Oden’s Agent: ‘He’ll Get Back to Being the Greg We Knew’

Oden’s agent does a terrific job of selling his client’s murky future, who just so happens to be angling for a contract extension. The Indy Star reports: “Greg Oden will play next season, his agent said, but whether Oden is wearing a Portland uniform has yet to be determined. Oden’s rehabilitation from a knee injury is a long process, but the point is to allow him to fully recover. ‘He’s focused on keeping his weight down, getting back to figuring out how to stay healthy. I give him a lot of credit for staying motivated to get through all this,” his agent, Mike Conley, said. ‘I know that he’ll play next year, and as long as he keeps his weight down, he’ll get back to being the Greg we knew, being able to run and jump and everything. The thing is keeping him healthy and give him the confidence to play without being scared.’ The 7-foot, 280-pound Oden led Lawrence North High School to three straight state titles and was Indianapolis Star Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2006. After one season at Ohio State, he was the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft. He has played just 82 games in four pro seasons due to multiple knee injuries. His most recent surgery was in November 2010. Rehabilitation was projected to take up to a year, which would make his return early in the 2011-12 season.”