Durant or Oden

STATEdude3 · 03-01-2007, 10:13 PM

RIGHT NOW

Not their potential or draft position or any of that...

Who is the better player of the year, MVP or whatever you want to call it.

Poll Coming...

AUAlum06 · 03-01-2007, 10:14 PM

Durant

nicho197 · 03-01-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUAlum06

Durant

yes, he is the better player now. he is the better prospect and will be the better player in the nba! you cannot lose with him! Do not be dumb and take oden over him!

Blade Runner · 03-01-2007, 10:24 PM

Durant, has a much wider array of skills. Can score from anywhere on the floor. Oden isn't even that dominant really...he can be stopped. Durant can really only be contained.

JVSparty · 03-01-2007, 10:26 PM

Wow. I figured there would be some bias but 15 to 1.

SpartyJay12 · 03-01-2007, 10:41 PM

Oden just doesn't seem to have "it". If he ever got a fire lit under him he would be absolutely dominate but until then Durant is the better player

Fighting With A Vim · 03-01-2007, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpartyJay12

Oden just doesn't seem to have "it". If he ever got a fire lit under him he would be absolutely dominate but until then Durant is the better player

Sports guy wrote up an interesting theory about Oden

Quote:

For the season, Oden's averaging 15.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game (very good stats, but not eye-opening or anything). He doesn't have any low-post moves other than an ugly-but-effective jump-hook. He's an OK passer … but certainly not Walton-esque. He doesn't play with the same ferocious, intimidating fire that Alonzo Mourning displayed at Georgetown. He isn't a dominant, physical presence along the lines of Shaq at LSU, or an extraordinary athlete like Hakeem Olajuwon at Houston, or a gifted natural scorer like David Robinson at Navy. Everyone seems to think he's a mortal lock to evolve into a franchise center … and I have to say, I haven't seen it yet. If OSU ever played Texas, there's no doubt in my mind that Kevin Durant would emerge as the alpha dog on the court.

We'll give Oden the benefit of the doubt for the following things:

1. He's playing with a broken right wrist that hasn't totally healed yet. This needs to be mentioned constantly -- he's even shooting left-handed free throws like Bo Kimble. So maybe Oden has more low-post moves and a 15-foot jumper in his arsenal, but the injured wrist is preventing him from showing off those things, so we've been watching a steady diet of jump-hooks, layups and dunks. Also, when I was chatting Bill Walton's right ear off in Vegas, Oden came up and Walton made a salient point that I haven't heard anywhere else: Walton believes that Oden's injured wrist prevents him from flying up and down the court, jumping over people for rebounds and leaping into crowds to block shots because he's constantly afraid of tripping, falling and re-injuring his wrist. When Walton told me this, he specifically said: "Watch Oden and watch how under-control he is at all times. … You never see him let loose."

Well, he was right. Against Wisconsin, Oden seemed like he was driving a race car in third gear for the entire game. Anyway, Walton believes that we won't see the real Oden until next year, when he can finally let loose in the NBA with a healthy body. And you know what? He's probably right. On the other hand, what if he's not?

2. He's a freshman and he's only 18. True centers take longer to grow into their bodies, which explains some of Oden's clumsiness around the basket (at times, he almost reminds me of Nazr Mohammed … and that's not a good thing). So when you watch him this season, you have to remember that this is the worst he will ever look during the next 15 years.

3. I know he's getting killed for his lack of passion/intensity during games, but maybe he's just a mellow, thoughtful, good-hearted guy, someone quirky enough that some people actually believe he'd pass up the draft and remain at OSU simply because he enjoys college life so much. The more I watch him, the more he reminds me of Robert Parish -- not just because he's mellow like the Chief, but also because he doesn't feel the need to PRETEND he's anything other than mellow. For instance, Patrick Ewing's fatal flaw was his misguided attempt to "evolve" into a passionate leader -- which basically consisted of his (A) making jumpers and screaming at the top of his lungs, or (B) running over to a teammate who just made a big shot and screaming at the top of his lungs. It always seemed disingenuous to me, like he was trying to portray a character or something ("I'm the vocal franchise center and I can lead this team!"). In the long run, it hurt his game to some degree -- Ewing didn't have a dominant personality, he wasn't an alpha dog, and above everything else that's why the Knicks never won a championship during his era.

Oden has a self-awareness than Ewing lacked (and still lacks, as evidenced by his surreal attempt to reinvent himself as a 7-foot Ed McMahon on Ahmad Rashad's remarkably bizarre NBA TV talk show), which is why Parish's personality is a perfect comparison for Oden. The Chief never cared about stats, or touches, or showing off or any of that crap. He just wanted to win. I think Oden could be described the same way, and if you don't believe me, watch the way he blocks shots -- just like Bill Russell and Walton, he doesn't block shots as much as he deflects them and keeps them in play (so they'll lead to a potential fast break). It's the single best thing about his game, an innate skill that can't be learned.

So here's my scouting report on Oden through the third week of February: I just don't know yet. The wrist throws EVERYTHING off. There's a legitimate chance we're seeing only about 60 percent of what he could have inflicted with a healthy body … and once we get closer to the draft, any NBA team picking first will work themselves into a lather that (A) Oden's wrist hindered him more than anyone realized, and (B) if that's true, then they don't want to be the idiots who passed on Oden someday. Which means there's no way in hell that Oden will go second in the 2007 NBA draft, rendering every "Oden or Durant?" discussion meaningless unless Durant blows everyone out of the water next month like Melo did in 2003. Anything less and Oden goes first. Nobody will have the balls to pass him up. Remember, it's the No Balls Association.

nicho197 · 03-01-2007, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpartyJay12

Oden just doesn't seem to have "it". If he ever got a fire lit under him he would be absolutely dominate but until then Durant is the better player

maybe oden realized he made the wrong decision by going to osu and he just does not like it there. Doesn't help that the guards would rather jack up bad threes instead of playing team ball.

The Hands Team · 03-01-2007, 10:44 PM

Oden goes first based on just looking at him........

STATEdude3 · 03-02-2007, 12:38 AM

not quite what I expected from this poll. I knew it would be Durant, but this is just rediculous.

WavSpartan · 03-02-2007, 12:50 AM

This shouldn't even be close.

hIZZOner · 03-02-2007, 02:40 AM

this should not even be a question...kevin durant

goState18 · 03-02-2007, 06:28 AM

Oden is a glorified Center, He can rebound and play defense, and an added bonus of GREAT scoring, But he really can't hold a candle to Kevin Durant's Wingspan and Atheletism.

Diesel · 03-02-2007, 06:56 AM

Durant is the better college player by a long shot right now. He also has to do more on his team compared to Oden. But when the NBA comes calling, Oden will be picked before Durant. Centers like Oden with his skill set do not come around very often...Duncan, Ewing, etc

spartanbball · 03-02-2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel

Durant is the better college player by a long shot right now. He also has to do more on his team compared to Oden. But when the NBA comes calling, Oden will be picked before Durant. Centers like Oden with his skill set do not come around very often...Duncan, Ewing, etc

He may get picked 1st, but from what I've saw he really isn't too light on his feet. Maybe its because he's not getting paid

Spartan Punk · 03-02-2007, 08:14 AM

Durant is better now, will be better for the next 4-5 years, but after that, I think that Oden will turn out to be a more dominant NBA player.

TheDoctorIsIn · 03-02-2007, 08:25 AM

Look, Oden is a great player, and can go pro next year, but Durant is much more refined. People can point to him and say "See, some kids are ready to go pro out of high school"

has been · 03-02-2007, 08:39 AM

So Oden produces the same numbers (okay - more blocks & fewer points) as Paul Davis did last year. Player of the year?

Durant is sick with his athleticism, inside/outside game and fire. He's going to get stronger and play like LeBron with a much better jumper. I'll take that.

I think Oden will be fine and help an NBA team, but will be more of a Motumbo than a Shaq or Olajawon.

Spartan Pride · 03-02-2007, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spartan Punk

Durant is better now, will be better for the next 4-5 years, but after that, I think that Oden will turn out to be a more dominant NBA player.

Bang~

Spartan2k · 03-02-2007, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spartan Punk

Durant is better now, will be better for the next 4-5 years, but after that, I think that Oden will turn out to be a more dominant NBA player.

Perhaps.

This still means that anyone voting for Oden as the better NCAA player right now is a moran.

Odie · 03-02-2007, 09:37 AM

Oden still seems to a "project". Durant has the skills to play in the NBA immediately.
I see Oden being a serviceable big man in the NBA, much like Michael Olowokandi, Kwame Brown, or DeSagana Diop . Durant is going to be a star along the lines of Carmelo

ConQueso™ · 03-02-2007, 09:39 AM

with the question being: who's the better NCAA player...the answer has to be Durant...Oden isn't even the best player on his team...but, given the chance...he probably will be the better NBA player.

Mumbles · 03-02-2007, 12:34 PM

Oden,because if Durant has an off night you are done. Greg doesn't have to score a point to control a game. As far as the next level,if you want to sell tickets,get durant. If you want to win division and conference titles,you get Oden. There won't be another Greg Oden in two years,there are already guys like Durant or near his skill level rising up. Look up Renardo Sidney,he will have the same type of impact at whichever school he decides to go to.

TheGhettoHeisman · 03-02-2007, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spartan Punk

Durant is better now, will be better for the next 4-5 years, but after that, I think that Oden will turn out to be a more dominant NBA player.

I agree. Once his body fills out he could be the most dominating force in the league. Tough decision for whoever has the first pick.

pujolsfan91 · 03-02-2007, 04:11 PM

Kevin Durant is the better player in college atm but when oden gets into the NBA and devolps better post moves he'll be a bigger force than durant IMO