Quick Strikes AGAIN: Oden and Durant Workout

by Dave on Jun 2, 2007 10:36 AM PDT in News

Here is the JQ article on the surprise Greg Oden and Kevin Durant workout yesterday:

My favorite parts:

Quick relays the ripple of surprise that ran through the assorted scouts when Kevin Durant came out of the locker room in full uniform. That turned into a tidal wave when Greg Oden followed. You can just imagine it. (And I've always said great story-telling is JQ's strongest suit.)
This:

In one drill, he [Oden] started with a layin, then weaved his way through cones to the free throw line for a shot. After making the shot, he would run to halfcourt, then race back to the top of the three-point arc for a shot. On his final repetition, he airballed his three-pointer. He asked for the ball again and was short. He tried again and swished the shot, raising his arms toward the NBA scouts in the stands while smiling.

That would be the kind of competitive spirit (confident he can do it, facing failure with resolve, but taking it all with a sense of humor and grace and not getting down) that you'd like to see.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

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Quick's Blog, Oden's Verticle

Did you see Quick's note about some of Oden's measurables? One interesting thing is that without shoes on, he's a hair under 7'.

But his vertical is 12'2", compared to Pryz's 11'6". And Pryzbilla is taller (around an inch and a hair it sounds like).

Actually, I'm a little confused by Quick's language. He's talking about how high up they can get a hand, but isn't your vertical leap strictly a measure of how high your feet are off the ground?

by matthewcc on Jun 2, 2007 10:49 AM PDT reply actions

blog

I should point out I'm talking about his blog post:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/06/greg_oden_is_not_7feet.html

by matthewcc on Jun 2, 2007 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions

Oh . . . my . . . GOODNESS.

Did you read THIS part, about Darius Miles, in that blog entry?

It has been nearly seven months since his Nov. 14, 2006 microfracture surgery and he still hasn't been cleared to run. Let me say that again. It's been nearly seven months since his surgery and he still hasn't been cleared to run.

And despite the efforts of the team, which has hired the personal trainer who worked with other microfracture patients Jason Kidd and Amare Stoudemire, reports are that Miles is still badly out of shape. Anyone who saw him at Brandon Roy's Rookie of the Year celebration can attest to that. And so can the two fans who email me and say they often see him at their local Baskin & Robbins late at night.

What a life. What a waste. What a shame.

And really, what a non-story it has become in the context of this team. Miles already has long been removed from the conscious of this team and locker room.

WOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Rock! Rock rock! Rock, rockitty rocka-rock!

I . . . am SOOOOOO okay with this.

Oh, and how about Pritchard flying back to PDX before the surprise Odeurant workout?
Can you just imagine the look on his face when he got the news
about what went down in his absence?

"They WHAT?!?"

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Jun 2, 2007 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions

but

None of this means he'll retire.

I hope he does, though. I think we'd actually be under the cap in that case, or close.

With a few other contract expirations coming up (not to mention DK and Mags off now) our future flexibility looks pretty good.

Raef's comes off 2 years from now (valuable trade bait for this time next year).

I wouldn't be sad to see Pryzbilla's contract get traded. Not that I dislike him, but that thing has him making $7.5 million in 2011.

Hopefully we dont' trade Zach's bloated contract for some other bloated contract.

by matthewcc on Jun 2, 2007 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions

No, but things look pretty good . . .

. . . for this season to be a lot like last year, Darius-wise:
Paid, counting against the cap, and totally absent.

Given his contract and the way things went with him present the two years previous,
that's the best I could ever hope for (retirement being a pipe dream).

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Jun 2, 2007 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions

When folks talk about

basketball verticals, they're interested in how high they can get a hand, so the combination of height, wingspan, and leaping ability are all critical in assessing a basketball vertical.

NBA heights listed everywhere is height with shoes, which typically adds between an inch to an inch and a half to height with socks.

by howlingfantods on Jun 2, 2007 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Also, the simplest and most accurate

way to assess a person's vertical leaping ability is to measure the distance between how high that person can reach standing still and then how high that person can reach at the peak of his or her jump. Trying to measure how high a person's feet come off the ground is too difficult.

by Jared on Jun 2, 2007 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

right

I don't mean they literally measure ground to toe; but they DO account for wingspan on top of height.

The reason I'm asking is because while trying to figure out how Oden's vertical compares with other NBA players past and present, I've found they list the distance from ground to foot. So, for example, David Thompson supposed to hold the record with a 48" vertical leap (which I have a hard time believe... four FEET?).

So, anyone out there have numbers to compare it to, apples-to-apples?

by matthewcc on Jun 2, 2007 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Here's the best I could find (it's pretty good):

http://vertcoach.com/highest-vertical-leap.html

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Jun 2, 2007 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions

nice find!

Looking at it, only Vince Carter and Dominique Wilkins matches it, Michael Jordan comes within an inch, Shaq within 2.

Six inches on Kobe.

I can't wait to watch the block-fest. Blockaggeddon.

by matthewcc on Jun 2, 2007 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions

whoops

Well, I USED to be good at math.

Actually, the math was good, I just inserted a false number. Knock four inches off all those, for some reason I mashed Pryz's vertical (well, KP's guess of his vertical) or 11'6 and GO's of 12'2 and came away with 12'6 and thats obviously wrong.

Still pretty crazy!

by matthewcc on Jun 2, 2007 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I love those stats,

because they qualify Shawn Kemp as "Seattle" Shawn Kemp, not fat "Cleveland" or "Portland" Shawn Kemp.
Also, does anyone know where Clyde fit in on that list? I seem to remember he had around a 42" leap, but I don't remember...

Bingo, bango, bongo!

by Babyshoes on Jun 2, 2007 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions

by RapidRob on Jun 2, 2007 2:14 PM PDT reply actions

poor KP

I'm sure he's quite mad he missed the workouts.

Welcome Greg Oden

by junit3123 @ Blazer's Edge on Jun 3, 2007 12:12 PM PDT reply actions

Greg Oden talks

I was impressed by his comments.

I picked up three things about Mr. Oden.

He's going to be a dream to coach, as he has respect for those older and more experienced.
He understands the importance of mastering fundamentals first.
He has the good sense to put off doing something he might like, for doing something he needs to do.

by timg56 on Jun 4, 2007 8:17 AM PDT reply actions