Oden's got competition now.

[beau_boy04]

I thought Greg Oden was a lock at 1 but he's got competition now...

Kevin Durant is getting better and better and getting more hype as well.

Check it out:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/s ... id=2743544

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ant/070126

So how about you guys? who do u think will go number #1? Oden or Durant? maybe someobody else how about Noah?

Profiles:
Oden > http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/pr ... erId=31545
Noah > http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/pr ... erId=22154
Durant > http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/pr ... erId=31579

Stats:
Oden: 13 G, 15.4 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.6 bpg, 65% FG
Noah: 20 G, 25.6 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 66% FG
Durant: 19 G, 23.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 48% FG, 36% 3pt

I also know Oden is not fully recovered from that right wrist injury, so he's playing with this left hand most of the part and making over 60% FG which is very impressive, image when he's 100% what would he be capable of?

[Mikki]

Oden, still.

[sucram]

Still gotta take Oden.

[Gedas]

Oden for sure. How often does such a big man come? Whos gonna not pick him as #1?

[yosifun]

Actually it depends on the team...

Lets say Charlotte would have 1st pick, if I was their GM I would have picked Durant or Noah.

If it's a team like Atlanta or Memphis, it's Oden for sure.

[Gedas]

Actually it depends on the team...

Lets say Charlotte would have 1st pick, if I was their GM I would have picked Durant or Noah.

If it's a team like Atlanta or Memphis, it's Oden for sure.

Noah, Durant are average high picks. Those kind of players come every year. How often does a player like Oden come? Not often. Thats why anyone would pick him. And why not Charlotte, can you imagine Okafor/Oden in the frontline?

[Matt]

Oden vs Durant will be kind of like LBJ vs Melo, or Okafor vs Howard

Either pick is safe IMO. They'll go 1 & 2 that's for sure. If a GM feels they are both equal in talent & potential then he'll probably pick by position.

[scrub]

Noah is only averaging 12 points not 25. He's averaging 25 minutes. Its still gonna be Oden even if it is Charlotte. Oden and Okafor up top would be unstoppable.

[---]

Noah, Durant are average high picks. Those kind of players come every year.

Tell me the name of a similar player at Durants level in each of the last 5 drafts.

Heres my list:

2006 - None
2005 - None
2004 - None
2003 - Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James
2002 - None

Here is definitely not an "average" top pick. Carmelo Anthony took the NCAA by storm as a freshman at Syracuse averaging 22/10/2 in his only year. Durant is averaging 24/11/2 in his first season to date. How is that average?

Durant has come in as a freshman and down right manhandled every team thrown against him bar Villanova and LSU. He can do everything out there on the floor, block shots, shoot the three, rebound - you name it.

Noah is a good college player. However, unless he seriously bulks up and gets a jumpshot, he won't be very good in the NBA. I would compare him to Tyson Chandler.

As for Durant, think a taller Tracy McGrady or Kevin Garnett with a three point shot.
He has incredible potential. Just think if he was to stay to his senior year what type of numbers he would be putting up.

Durant won't be the first pick though. Oden is still very raw offensively yet still puts up good numbers and is also an extremely good defender and rebounder. Right now Durant is the better player, and they both have around the same potential, it's just the NBA is so thin when it comes to centers no team will want to pass up the opportunity to grab the next great center.

I also read somewhere about Texas' great freshman saying they may stay another season so they can have a very good shot at winning a championship. I haven't found the article again but I highly doubt Kevin will stay another year (although I wish he did).

EDIT: Just read the article in the first post (the 10 things about each player one) and the author had some pretty good points:

The last big guy to hit the draft anywhere close to being as refined a perimeter scorer as Durant was Glenn Robinson in 1994. And Durant has more range and doesn't share Big Dog's allergy to defense.

Durant's averaging more rebounds -- playing small forward -- than is Oden, who rarely strays more than eight feet from the basket. Even though Durant plays more minutes than Oden and Oden's playing without his good hand, that's a telling stat.

[dada]

Noah: 20 G, 25.6 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 66% FG

Pffft..he wishes he averaged that much.

I'd go with Durant actually, theres something about Oden I dont like. I get the feeling he doesnt have the dedication to improvement necessary to being successful in the NBA. Of course I wont mind him proving me wrong at all.

[emi_b7]

Phoenix has Atlanta's pick, imagine Oden or Durant with the Suns

[Dro]

Phoenix has Atlanta's pick, imagine Oden or Durant with the Suns

Pick is top 3 protected, so that won't happen. However, there is a GREAT chance the Suns end up with either Brandan Wright, Joakim Noah, or Al Horford. Could you imagine? A fast-paced, offensive team could soon have the deadliest interior in the league (Amare+1 of the prospects).

[beau_boy04]

I read in his profile that Durant a hybrid of Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett, now thats scary.

Emi_b7 is that pic protected?

[---]

Dro, I doubt the Suns will manage to get Brandan Wright. I can almost guarantee the top 3 picks will go Oden, Durant then Wright. However, you guys could get a very nice backup SF that plays great defence in Julian Wright, or if our looking for a big man (other than Noah and Horford) you guys could get Hasheem Thabeet who has loads of potential.

Either way, the Suns future looks just as bright as the present.

[1CenT]

Would you want a healthy Tracy Mcgrady on your team or a Patrick Ewing?
Other words, 30pts, 7rbs, 5assists, 1.5steals and a block vs 25pts 12boards, 2 blocks....

Greg Oden is more interesting, given he can potentially be a 25/12 guy, Kevin Durant could be the next big thing, i have never watched Kevin Durant, does he have the intensity of a, Kevin Garnett, Dwayne Wade, Michael Jordan? If so, he could very well be at the level of Kobe, Mcgrady, Pierce, Melo, Lebron type of swingman.

I'm excited for next season already, can't wait to see Oden and Durant, no 1 so hyped since Lebron's yr.

[Dro]

does he have the intensity of a, Kevin Garnett, Dwayne Wade, Michael Jordan?

Actually, one of the biggest knocks on him right now is that his intensity level reminds people of McGrady's, which is not a good thing. His other problem is lack of upper body strength.

[---]

Then again, people said the same thing about Carmelo and look at him right now. Intensity is something that doesn't always show, for example Dwyane Wade plays with high intensity but rarely shows emotion during a game, then compare that to Joakim Noah who screams whenever he can. You may think Wade plays with no intensity, but he just doesn't show it in the same way.

I wish Kevin would stay another year in Texas to work on his inside game a bit and to basically bulk up, and hopefully Texas can win a championship. Although I doubt it will happen, he probably won't, but it wouldn't hurt.

[hammertime23]

If Texas somehow wins the national championship I have a good feeling that Durant will stay and try to win it again, Kind of like Noah, Brewer, and all those other Florida guys.

[Matt]

perhaps....but look at how Noahs stock fell by staying.

[Axel]

Oden just seems like the kind of guy who's getting too much hype, hype he wont be able to live up to. A la Kwame Brown. Maybe I'll be wrong though, but you just hope he doesnt turn out to be like him.

Watch him turn out to be the next Danny Almonte or something.

[diddy]

i'd take durant + noah

[Jugs]

Greg Oden has had his dick sucked more than Hugh Heffner for fucks sake.

[---]

If Texas somehow wins the national championship I have a good feeling that Durant will stay and try to win it again, Kind of like Noah, Brewer, and all those other Florida guys.

Theres no way he's staying if they somehow win this year. He would of accomplished everything he needs to do (be the best player, win the championship) and there would be nothing left to be done.

If Texas doesn't win this year, maybe he will decide to stay another year to bulk up and polish up on his game (staying another year won't hurt, he's pretty young for his class) and come out in the 2008 draft and no doubt be the top pick, unless a freshman such as Michael Beasley, OJ Mayo or Derrick Rose explode onto the college scene even more so than Durant, which I doubt.

I hope he stays another year, because physically I don't think he is ready for the league and he still needs to work on his defense. Winning a National Championship would give him even more confidence and who knows how much he would improve over that extra year of college ball. All I know is that, barring injury, if he stays another year in college he will be better off.

[cklitsie]

I don't think a national championship would keep Durant in college. Since he's the main weapon, the superstar of the team, his stock for the draft after a championship would be at an all time high. The only way for him to get it as high again is to improve his stats and probably win another championship.

[---]

Thats why I think he should stay another year. The chances of Texas winning a Championship this year are extremely slim, but the future looks very bright. If Texas ws to miss out on a championship this year and Durant leaves, he goes into the league not physically ready (imo) and will be the second pick. However, if he stays another year, bulks up and improves his game along with the other young Texas stars, Texas has a much better chance at winning a title and he will be more ready for the league. With that new skill and strength, if he can take Texas to the Final Four or to a championship, along with his more polished game, theres no way he is going anywhere other than first in the 08 Draft.

Some people might wonder what the point is in staying another year if you are only gaining one draft spot. The reason for that is right now he is raw. As amazing offensively as he is, he is still quite raw. He needs to become a better defender. He needs to get a lot stronger. He needs more experience. All these things prevent playing time once you hit the L, and this may cause him to lose confidence, not to mention he will be riding the pine a lot more for his first year compared to if he came out as a sophomore - something I doubt he will be happy doing.