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Well, it’s that time again; time for an update on the Trail Blazers’ 2007 No. 1 draft pick, Greg Oden. Now 27 years old, the 7-footer plays for the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball League, far from the NBA spotlight. After fracturing his hand in preseason play, he finally made his CBA debut last night.
Oden tallied an incredible 19 points, 24 rebounds, and four blocks in his first game. Of course, this performance should be taken with a grain of salt, given the level of his competition. For some frame of reference, former NBA player and Oden’s teammate Marshon Brooks is averaging 34.2 points per game for the Dragons.
Still, if you were wondering what became of Oden, this is where he stands. It is not difficult to envision him getting something like 20-and-20 on a nightly basis. His 1yr/$1.2M deal will keep him in China for the time being, where he can thrive in a less critical environment. Perhaps we will see him make another run at an NBA return when the cap jumps next season.