Posted by Jason Quick, The Oregonian March 27, 2008 19:04PM
Categories: Team News
The Trail Blazers on Thursday were alerted to an internet rumor that Greg Oden had participated in a pickup basketball game at a 24 Hour Fitness facility in Tualatin on Wednesday night.

Turns out, the rumor was true.

And naturally, the Blazers were none too pleased.

"We heard about that, and I talked to him today,'' coach Nate McMillan said. "I let him know he can't do that.''

Oden is in the sixth month of his rehabilitation from microfracture surgery on his right knee, and is on schedule - if not ahead - to return to the court in time for the start of training camp in October. Oden has been cleared to participate in light drills during practices, but the team wants to control his running and jumping to controlled environments.

"I know he is excited to be moving again, but as I talked to him about it, he said 'Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...'. And I was like - 'I really don't care','' McMillan said. "The thing is, we were surprised. So we let him know that he doesn't need to be there. We have plenty of workout equipment and gym space at our facility.''

Athletic trainer Jay Jensen, who supervises Oden's rehabilitation, said he also talked to Oden. He said Oden felt like a little event was being made into a big deal.

Oden apparently took part in two pickup games on Wednesday night, after which one of the participants came home and posted his account on the internet. By Wednesday morning, word had gotten back to the Blazers, who were in Oakland, Calif., for Thursday's game against Golden State. McMillan said he then called Oden in Portland.

"Young guys,'' McMillan said, shaking his head. "Right now, these young guys don't know their value. That's part of growing up and maturing. In a couple of years he will understand how stupid that was. I understand it, because I've done it. You are a pro, you want to walk into a building like that and feel good about yourself, you know, play with some guys. You don't move hard, you know, just shoot some jump shots ... yeah, I've done it. But we just have to remind him, especially in his situation, where he is coming off an injury. That ... that, you just can't do that.''

And I was just talking on another thread about this very thing. He's playing with his livelyhood.

no- speeding on a racing motorcycle is playing with your livelihood.

playing a game of pick up against some average joes is little more than a light work out for him.

Posted by Siar617:

for some reason i dont care

And you had to tell us that you don't care?

I can understand how eager he is to return but I hope Oden doesn't repeat this mistake. Allan Houston should tell him how dumb that was.

[Edited by - bonn1997 on 03-29-2008 06:20 AM]

Posted by playa2:

If he was just another player (average) on the team nobody would say he was dumb.

When Aaron Boone played a pickup game, got injured, and had his contract revoked for violating terms of the contract, did you think Boone was dumb? At a minimum, it's a bad financial move. It's part of the territory with signing a multi-million contract.

Posted by playa2:

If he was just another player (average) on the team nobody would say he was dumb.

Of course not. They'd be just another average player. But it is' dumb to jeopardize a career that is said to have high potentials. Bad enough he injured it and missed an entire season, coming out of the draft. Even worse if you never got to play because you did something really stupid.

Yup, he's just plain stupid.