Which past or present NBA player is Greg Oden most comparable to?

Question

I think I see alot of David Robinson in him. People say Bill Russell but I think that's because he just looks like him physically. What do you think?

Answer 1

I do not think Oden is comparable to Bill Russell outside of appearance. Oden does not dominate the floor on the defensive side of the ball enough and does not rebound as well as Russell did. Russell would rebound with consistently on both the offensive and defensive glass. Russell focused more on blocking shots and cleaning up after his teammates. Oden cries when he doesnt get the ball on offense, Russell would never do that, never did (see the Xavier game when Oden got frustrated about not getting the ball). That being said, I definitely think Oden is not much like David Robinson either. Robinson was a big time scorer. He could make the mid range jumper and still played tremendous defense. All I see Oden doing is dunking, sort of like Shaq, but Oden doesnt over power people like Shaq did when he was younger. Shaq was just way too strong for people and Oden plays soft at times (Hibbert took it to him when he wasnt in foul trouble) For the same reasons as with David Robinson, Oden does not have the mid-range game of Ewing and that tenacity on defense. Ewing got called for goaltending alot because he challenged so many shots. Oden only alters shots because he is 7 feet tall. He goes thru lapses where he doesnt play much defense at all and gets caught up with the fouls being called...hmm..sort of like Wilt. The reason why Wilt left college early and became a globetrotter was because he got frustrated with the fouling on him and the fouls against him. Wilt was a prolific scorer but in college was known for his dunking skills. Until Oden develops, he is more like the younger version of Wilt.

Answer 2

Greg Oden is most comparable to David Robinson. He does look like Bill Russell.

Answer 3

I would say Shawn Bradley.

Their physical appearance is quite similar. I think Shawn has a stronger defensive game though. Greg Oden is a much better free throw shooter however. When Oden's career is over, he'd go down in history as the 3rd best center of all time. Behind George Muresan and Shawn Bradley.

Answer 4

I would agree with you about David Robinson. he's got that same blue collar, hardworking, understated style that Robinson always played with. There's a lot of grit and heart in how he plays, unlike say an Amare Stoudemire who plays with flair and high flying antics. His defensive style and dedication reminds me a bit of Theo Ratliff in his prime, though Oden is a far better offensive player than Ratliff ever was.

Answer 5

i see a lot of shaq in him...only for now. In college basketball there has been no one able to stop him except for Roy Hibbert. This is because Roy Hibbert is a Kareem style player. He likes the low post hook and he likes playing big down low. This matches Oden's style very well and they pretty much cancelled each other out. But Oden is big and likes to bank off the glass and dunk. That is his game and he doesnt stray from it. He also has a free throw percentage about that of Shaq's too. I dunno. Just the qualities i can see.

Answer 6

I agree with your David Robinson comparison. When I thought about it, he was the first to come to mind. They're both tall, athletic, strong in the shoulders but weak in the mid-section, knows how to fully utilize the size and hops to get rebounds and block shots, and good scorer in the paint. Not a lot of trickery to their games, just size, athleticism, and aggression.

Answer 7

I'd definitely say he's got some David Robinson in him although I see more of a Big Ben-Shaq mixture as his type of game.

Answer 8

that is tough to say but I would say Patrick Ewing almost. At least as an NBA college prospect he is comparable to Ewing when he played at Georgetwon. The physical look is there, yes, but that has very little to do with style of play.

Answer 9

i'd say bill russell cuz he is a defensive oriented player the same as russell was

Answer 10

I see a lot of Patrick Ewing in him, the young Georgetown Ewing, but more polished than Ewing early in his career.