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More on Oden's great accomplishment....

IndyStar

4/5/06

Gatorade award gets Oden excited

Lawrence North's center becomes 2nd player to earn the honor twice, following James

Greg Oden rode to Downtown Indianapolis on Monday afternoon with Lawrence North High School athletic director Grant Nesbit, thinking he had another radio interview. Oden's only clue was a sheet of paper on which Nesbit had written "Interview with Heather."

Instead, Oden was taken to ESPN's set at the Artsgarden where Dick Vitale presented him with the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year trophy during a taping for "SportsCenter." Oden pumped his fist in celebration when an ESPN staffer pulled the cover off the trophy.

"That was one of my goals," Oden said before joining family, friends and teammates for a private reception. "That was my only individual goal, win this award so I could go back to L.A."

Each Player of the Year in a specific sport is flown to Los Angeles for the Gatorade Athlete of the Year banquet July 12.

Oden joins Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James as the only two-time winners of the Gatorade Player of the Year Award, first given in 1986. Last year, Greg Paulus, a basketball and football star from New York, was named Athlete of the Year.

Oden already has been named Player of the Year by Parade Magazine and winner of the Naismith Award and Morgan Wootten Award.

Two other Indiana players won the Gatorade Player of the Year award:

Bloomington North's Jared Jeffries in 2000 and Bedford North Lawrence's Damon Bailey in 1990.

The formal presentation of the Gatorade trophy will be this morning at a ceremony that will include Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson, organizers said.

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.

Copyright 2006 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved

North Central High school basketball player Greg Oden, as seen through the Gatorade National Boys Player of the Year Award, smiles as he is about the receive the award in Indianapolis, Monday, April 4, 2006. Oden, who will attend Ohio State next year, received the award for the second year in a row. (AP Photos/Michael Conroy)



North Central High school basketball player Greg Oden smiles after receiving the Gatorade National Boys Player of the Year Award in Indianapolis, Monday, April 4, 2006. Oden, who will attend Ohio State next year, received the award for the second year in a row. (AP Photos/Michael Conroy)