NBA: Oden sidelined for rest of summer play
(AP)Updated: 2007-07-11 23:32
Top draft pick Greg Oden needs to have his tonsils removed and is expected to miss the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers' summer league games.
 In an image from video, fans hold a welcome-home sign for Greg Oden during his introduction to several thousand cheering Portland Trail Blazers fans at a rally in Portland, Ore., Friday, June 29, 2007, the day after the team picked him in the NBA draft. The team ended months of debate Thursday night when they chose the Ohio State center over fellow college freshman Kevin Durant with the top pick. [AP]  |
After he tapes the ESPY awards in Los Angeles, he will undergo a tonsillectomy Saturday, at the Vancouver Clinic in nearby Vancouver, Wash., the team said.
Recovery time is expected to be two to three weeks.
"Greg felt that this was the right decision to make in the interests of his health, and we support that decision 100 percent," Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "The sooner he gets the procedure done, the sooner he can get back on the court at full strength."
Oden, a 7-foot center who played one season at Ohio State, was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
In his summer league debut, Oden scored six points and had two rebounds before leaving with 10 fouls, the maximum allowed in the summer league. The Blazers lost 74-66 to the Boston Celtics.
In his second game against Dallas, a fatigued Oden finished with 13 points, five rebounds and nine fouls. The Mavericks won 72-68.
Oden will miss Sunday's matchup with Seattle that would have pitted him against No. 2 pick Kevin Durant.
"They'll make more money during the regular season," Oden jokingly said earlier this week.
Oden will also miss the U.S. Senior National Team's minicamp July 20-22 in Las Vegas. He is invited to train with the Americans in August before the FIBA Americas tournament if he has recovered.
That would give him extra time with Portland coach Nate McMillan, who is an assistant under U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski.
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