By now, all Portland Trail Blazers fans should have heard about the basketball team’s latest setback — Greg Oden needs another microfracture surgery and will be out for the entire season…again. He hasn’t even returned from last year’s season-ending injury. When you factor in all the injuries the Blazers has had since Oden was drafted, I can’t help but wonder if Greg Oden is cursed.
(Photo: Oregonian)
Look at some the injuries that has occurred in the Greg Oden era:
- A few months after being picked first in the NBA draft, Oden was lost for the entire season because of a microfracture surgery on his right knee — he didn’t play a single minute for the Blazers that year
- His second season lasted only 13 minutes before he stepped on someone’s foot and missed the next six games
- Half way through the second season, Oden suffered a bone chip after banging his left knee and then missed the next 15 games
- Also in Oden’s second season, Martel Webster suffered a stress fracture and only played a few minutes that year
- In Greg’s third season, he broke his left patella in December and is lost for the season
- A couple of weeks later, Portland’s back up center, Joel Przybilla, suffered a knee injury and was also out for the season (still not back this season)
- Last season, 13 players missed a combined 311 games due to injuries
- This season, the Blazers lost Jeff Pendergraph and Elliot Williams to knee injuries for the entire year before the season even began
- Earlier this month, we found out that Brandon Roy will never be the same again because he has no cartilage left in his arthritic knees — Roy has to deal with bone-on-bone grinding for the rest of his career
- Then yesterday evening, we found out Greg won’t be playing this season either because of another microfracture surgery
In his time with the Blazers, Oden has played in only 82 games out of 328+ games (including this season’s games). It has been one disaster after another since he has been drafted. Many fans think we should move on without Greg Oden (his contract expires after this season). Personally, I think we should give him another chance. He didn’t do anything wrong and it shouldn’t cost a bundle to resign him. The odds are against him recovering fully, but he’s still young. So, what do you guys think? Should Portland resign him or is Greg Oden cursed?
