FanShot

David Thorpe on Greg Oden

8

I'm not nearly as impressed with the nine offensive rebounds Oden got against Washington as I am with how he got them. He made a living in the paint. No pop-outs for open jumpers. No leaving a bit early to get back on defense. No giving up on balls that he was unlikely to possess. He knew the Wizards had no one who could push him inside, and he made them pay. That is a great sign. The league is filled with bigs who don't love to pound inside. But Oden loves the tough stuff. And I can't wait for him to get his full bounce back. He's averaging 10 points and 7 rebounds in just 24 minutes in January, and I think his athleticism output is at 50-60 percent of what he'll be capable of down the road. Watch out.