Oden accepts offer to train for Team USA this July

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SodaPopinski

SodaPopinski

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Sorry if this is a repost, but this is the first confirmation I've seen of this. Haven't heard anything on Brandon or LaMarcus yet.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=4187292

Greg Oden and O.J. Mayo are among the 19 commitments Colangelo has received for the July 22-25 camp in Las Vegas, which will culminate with a blue-white exhibition game.
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This is great news, IMO. I honestly would not have been shocked if Oden took a break, but this solidifies my perception of his commitment to basketball.

Good luck, G.O.

-Pop
 
screw going back to school at ohio state and playing with team usa! he needs to be in portland!

i'm obviously not serious. i think this is a very good thing for oden and the blazers(and team usa).
 
This is great news. He is going to have a lot of bright minds and the best players in the league around him, so I'd be shocked if he didn't pick a few things up.
 
Greg gave a pretty interesting interview to an Indianapolis radio station a few days back, and it definitely made me rethink my initial reservations about him not being under the Blazers supervision -- that going home and getting his mind right by taking some classes and working out (hard) on his own is going to do him more good than if he were to stick around Stumptown and grind in the gym all summer long.

If anybody missed this podcast I posted yesterday in a different thread, I recommend giving it a listen. Here it is again for those that are interested.
http://www.indycornrows.com/2009/5/18/879559/greg-oden-on-jmv
 
Good stuff, this is great news and better off IMO for him than just playing at Ohio State for the summer. Just don't get hurt, that's all. Learn some tricks of the trade, get in shape, and just play as much as he can.
Can't see anything negative out of this.
 
This is good news, I think. He might get hurt, of course, but he might get hurt playing pickup games... or standing after sitting on a couch.

He'll have an opportunity to play with great players, and I hope it helps him in the long run.

Ed O.
 
Ed O said:
This is good news, I think. He might get hurt, of course, but he might get hurt playing pickup games... or standing after sitting on a couch.....OR PLAYING THAT DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION GAME


Ed O.
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Semi fixed. j/k

But really - this is an EXTREMELY good sign, IMO. Part of me was disappointed that he was going back to Ohio St....aka "home" for the summer, but part of me wondered if it would benefit him psychologically to get away from Portland and surround himself with familiarity and comfort. I do believe, and I've said this before, that the only thing that will keep Greg from being great is Greg. As in, he wasn't/isn't ready to grow up and grab the reigns of adulthood/professionalism. Add that to the fact that for the first time in his life he couldn't just step on the court and dominate (which micro fracture contributed to), I believe Greg was a psychological MESS all season.

He just needs to get his head right, keep working out, and NOW spend some time with some of the BEST players in the world.......yeah, I'm kind of stoked about him going "home." I hope it works.
 
The NBA is all about profile. If GO ups his profile by performing well for the US team, it may just help with refs giving him the ticky tack fouls.
 
Nikolokolus said:
. . . going home and getting his mind right by taking some classes and working out (hard) on his own is going to do him more good than if he were to stick around Stumptown . . .
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What the hell is "Stumptown"?
 
Sweet, I hope for the best. I consider this vastly better than summer league.
 
I was born and raised in the Portland area until I graduated from college, and never heard "Stumptown"

From WP:

"Portland, Oregon was nicknamed Stumptown in the mid 19th century, when the city's growth forced land to be cleared quickly to accommodate the growth, but the tree stumps were not immediately removed."
 
Greg needs that moment where he realizes he is every bit as good as the competition. Playing/practicing against the best in the world might give him that "moment"
 
1 Eye Jack said:
Greg needs that moment where he realizes he is every bit as good as the competition. Playing/practicing against the best in the world might give him that "moment"
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Exactly. The higher the level of competition against which he plays the better. So, has Nate dropped off the Olympic squad? Who are the coaches this time 'round?
 
I would love to hear that Oden is spending a lot of time around guys like Dwight Howard, LeBron and Amare. These physical specimens who had heaps of expectation piled on to them at such a young age.

Particularly Howard. That guy should be his role model for the next few years.
 
Nikolokolus said:
Greg gave a pretty interesting interview to an Indianapolis radio station a few days back, and it definitely made me rethink my initial reservations about him not being under the Blazers supervision -- that going home and getting his mind right by taking some classes and working out (hard) on his own is going to do him more good than if he were to stick around Stumptown and grind in the gym all summer long.

If anybody missed this podcast I posted yesterday in a different thread, I recommend giving it a listen. Here it is again for those that are interested.
http://www.indycornrows.com/2009/5/18/879559/greg-oden-on-jmv
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link!

I think this is great news too. He'll be competing against and learning from the best.
 
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