Sadly, Greg Oden will always be considered an NBA bust by most people.
He only played for 105 games and three years after being the top pick in the 2007 NBA draft.
Despite the highest of hopes, injuries prevented Oden from ever being a huge star.
However, Udonis Haslem doesn’t view Oden as a bust like others do.
Speaking on “The OGs Show”, Haslem said Oden’s troubled journey through the league required a lot of faith and perseverance.
He sees Oden’s brief career as a success story instead of a disappointment.
UD doesn’t agree that Greg Oden is a bust ?
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Oden was the top pick in the draft and the Portland Trail Blazers bypassed players like Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Mike Conley, and others to get him.
They saw him as the future of the franchise, a strong and smart big man who could work excellently with the rest of the roster and turn the Trail Blazers into one of the best teams in the West.
But then Oden got hurt and missed his first season, which was a sign of things to come.
He posted 8.9 points and 7 rebounds in his rookie year and 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in his second.
But that was when injuries flared back up.
Oden then missed the next three seasons before finally coming back, briefly, with the Miami Heat in 2013 for only 23 games.
Haslem said Oden had to fight hard to believe he could come back to the league.
For three years, he worked tirelessly in hopes of getting another shot in the NBA.
Even though it didn’t work out like he wanted, this showed his self-determination and faith.
Oden has moved on and remains involved in basketball even though he no longer plays.
Many see him as a bust but there is something valuable in his story and ability to believe in himself.
NEXT: Greg Oden Has Honest Admission About His Injuries
