The 2007 NBA Draft is looking more and more like the 1984 NBA Draft. For those who don't remember in 1984 Sam Bowie was drafted ahead of Michael Jordan with the number 2 pick in the draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Bowie was drafted because the Blazers drafted based on need and not based on talent. The Blazers already had Clyde Drexler so they passed on the greatest player in NBA history. Bowie turned out to be an average NBA player who was consistently injured. His unspectacular career ended in 1995.Fast forward to 2007, Portland had the 1st pick in the NBA draft and chose Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. The Blazers already had Brandon Roy and needed a big man so they passed on Durant. While it is still too early to call Oden a bust, it does look like Oklahoma City got the better player. Greg Oden has underperformed and battled injuries; Durant has blossomed into the NBA's youngest star. Oden has played in only 46 games in 2 seasons and is averaging 9 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Oden will probably turn out to be a decent center but I doubt he will ever be one of the greats. All time great centers like Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing came in the league averaging over 20 PPG and 10 REBS as rookies. His numbers are nowhere near what elite centers put up as rookies. Number one picks Yao Ming and Dwight Howard put up better numbers than Oden has in his first season. Oden seems more like a Marcus Camby, Dikembe Mutombo type who will rebound and play good defense but is limited offensively.
Teams should learn a lesson from the picks of Sam Bowie, Darko Milicic and Greg Oden. It is always better to draft the best talent as opposed to just filling a need.
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