SI, Luke Winn.
Odenphobia: a fear of getting stuffed in the lane. 
Quote:
The crowd at Value City Arena started roaring at the 16:40 mark of the first half on Saturday, with their team trailing Valparaiso 4-2. The cheers were not in appreciation of the Ivan Harris 3-pointer that would soon find the bottom of the net, but rather because a giant had just risen off of the Ohio State bench.
So much anticipation had built up for the debut of Greg Oden, the No. 1-rated freshman in the country, that he received a standing ovation for simply stepping on the floor when he entered the game at 16:01. The 7-footer had been rehabbing his right wrist for months since having surgery in June, and had it wrapped heavily in a black brace on Saturday. As he bent into defensive position for his first collegiate possession, he blew into his injured hand -- a gesture that reminded us that he hadn't seen live game action since June, and might be, well, a little cold coming out of the gate.
Oden had become such a folk hero that you yearned for him to immediately do something superhuman, like a backboard-shattering dunk or a swat into the crowd. The reality, however, was that he was essentially playing with one hand and needed time to get into the groove.
He leaped for a block attempt on the first play, but Urule Igbavboa's shot went over his outstretched arm and swished to put the visitors up 6-5. Soon after, a fast-breaking Crusader threw a bounce pass through Oden's legs for a layup. The first time he touched the ball on offense, on a wild feed from fellow freshman Mike Conley Jr., the ball bounced off Oden's hands and out of bounds; the third time he received it in the post, he traveled. When he made his first trip to the free-throw line, at 12:56, he had to shoot left-handed, but did it from a funky-looking righty stance, hitting one of two.
And then, late in the first half, the awkwardness and rust gave way to raw talent, his ailing wrist be damned. His first block and field goal were recorded within 15 seconds of each other, and the impact of his mere presence in the lane started to become noticeable. Valpo's offense, which had attacked the basket early, was stricken with Odenphobia: a fear of getting stuffed in the lane.
In the second half, Oden became the Buckeyes' focal point on both sides of the floor. His game was not graceful, but he bulled his way to 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. In one possession he blocked two Valpo shots within three seconds of each other, and made a disgusted face afterward, as if he were appalled that the Crusaders would re-attempt to score on him after being denied the first time. Valpo's Moussa Mbaye, the 6-9, 225-pound center who drew the unenviable assignment of guarding Oden, was repeatedly overpowered on the block, and the Crusaders resorted to fouling Oden frequently -- he attempted 15 lefty free throws, making eight.
Considering that Oden was such a force despite extremely limited use of his dominant hand -- and that he posted his double-double in just 23 minutes of playing time, the late-arriving star's potential seems limitless. As one TV announcer remarked on Saturday, "When he's completely healthy, he may be illegal." Indeed, it's hard to imagine many post players, even in the Big Ten, having the ability to hold their ground when he backs his 280-pound frame into the lane and drop-steps to the basket.
The Buckeyes team that routed Valpo 78-58 contrasted greatly in style to the one that hung with North Carolina, before falling 98-89, in Chapel Hill on Wednesday. That Ohio State squad, sans Oden, was more exciting to watch, running and gunning, relying on the playmaking skills of senior Ron Lewis and freshman Daequan Cook. But it was also more unstable, willing to decide its fate from beyond the 3-point line (it made 13-of-26 against the Heels). The Oden team, at least on Saturday, was less dynamic -- but looked more ready for the long haul in the Big Ten, with a center who plays strong interior defense and provides balance to its perimeter prowess on offense.
After offering cautious estimates of a Jan. 2 debut, the Buckeyes trotted out their big prize much earlier than expected. Living up to the hype will be a daunting task for Oden, but after finally seeing him in action, one has to wonder: Once he's freed from the constraints of the wrist brace, will anyone be able to stop him?
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12-02-2006, 04:10 PM
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