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IndyStar

4/10/06

Olympic boss lauds Oden's potential

CHICAGO -- USA Basketball men's Olympic team boss Jerry Colangelo took the extraordinary step of meeting prep star Greg Oden at a Chicago hotel Friday in hopes of persuading him to practice with the Olympic team this summer.

In a telephone interview Saturday, the Phoenix Suns owner explained why he and Olympic team coach Mike Krzyzewski view Oden as so important to the U.S. Olympic effort.

Colangelo wants Oden to practice with the Olympic team for a week in July and possibly play in the 2008 Games. Lawrence North's Oden, the only high school player invited, is considering the offer.

"My purpose in wanting him there is, if he were to continue to make progress, it's possible he'd have a shot in '08 to be on the Olympic team," Colangelo said. "The purpose of him coming to the camp is to have the opportunity to play with some of these other guys. Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, (Amare) Stoudemire aren't that much older than Greg.

"I thought it would be a great opportunity to get him into the pipeline, exposed to USA Basketball and better prepare him for Ohio State."

"When you look at Greg and what he's accomplished to date, the position he plays and the upside in his game . . . I'm suggesting if he would be in our camp, it would better prepare him. He's got a chance to be that next center.

"I'm convinced if he played against Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Stoudemire, that kind of competition is only going to enhance his future."

-- Jeff Rabjohns

If he can even stand his ground against those 3, I have no worries about how he'll do next year against mere college kids.