1. College Numbers
Greg Oden- PPG 15.7 APG .7 RPG 9.6
Kevin Durant- PPG 25.8 APG 1.3 RPG 11.1
Edge=Kevin Durant
2. College Experience
Games Played
Greg Oden- Missed first seven games of season
Kevin Durant- Completed full season
Not much of a big difference but Durant did complete a full season without major injuries.
Edge=Kevin Durant
3.Center VS Forward
Centers in the league tend to become slower as the years go on. Centers, however, are the key to a franchise and play a key role in a team. They also tend to have more and longer lasting injuries. Centers are, for the most part, in the post and stay there. Forwards are more active and can score from anywhere on the court. They can attack the basket but can also shoot. In the case of Kevin Durant he can also play exceptional defense. Greg Oden can also play great defense but the edge goes to the forward. Kevin Durant is more of a scoring forward but can score and play just as good defense as Oden.
Edge=Toss Up/Depends on how both careers come out
4.High School Experience
Greg Oden- Greg played for Lawrence North High School Indianapolis. Great high school player but being that he is 7 feet tall, he probably played against 6-foot-4 centers. Maybe the tallest person he came across would be 6-foot-9 but still he had a large height advantage over everybody he played in high school. Any 7 foot tall high school center will dominate against smaller centers. I'm not taking away the credit he deserves for being a High School All-American, but he is towering against all competition.
Kevin Durant-Kevin played for two different high schools. For his junior year he transferred to Oak Hill Academy where many other future NBA players attended. After a year at Oak Hill he transferred back to his home in Maryland, where he would play for Montorose Christian Academy. He did however graduate from high school at the age of 17. He will be entering the NBA at the age of 18, even after one year of college.
Edge=Kevin Durant, Played at Oak Hill for one year and had a tougher schedule there then Greg Oden had playing against small centers.
5. Marketability
Greg Oden-Fair or not he has been compared to people twice his age and looks around the age of 45. Unless he gains the lovable factor like a Shaq or endorses a big shoe deal, Oden misses out on this category. He isn't the best public speaker and acts a little shy. Maybe he can hold a press conference at a gym to prove he can bench more the Kevin Durant, but I still don't think he can edge Durant.
Kevin Durant-NBA fans want a high scoring player that will produce numbers all the time. Who could you better ask for then Mr. Durant. He never once scored single-digits in college. His lowest game was ten points in a WIN over LSU. Fans want wins a big scoring. Kevin presents all of this to the table. He has already signed a deal with Upper Deck and will probably sign a big shoe deal worth millions. Compare his shoe game to Shaq and Kobe. Most of you probably haven't even heard of Shaq's shoes but if you have you will know the Kobe's are much more popular. Kevin Durant is like a Kobe (not comparing his game to Kobe, I'm comparing his SHOE game) in that he is near the same stature. Greg Oden is more in the stature of Shaq.
Edge=If you haven't picked up on it yet Durant is much more marketable then Greg Oden. Not to say that Greg Oden isn't marketable, but Durant is WAY more marketable the Oden will ever be.
Overall Edge=Kevin Durant
Greg Oden- PPG 15.7 APG .7 RPG 9.6
Kevin Durant- PPG 25.8 APG 1.3 RPG 11.1
Edge=Kevin Durant
2. College Experience
Games Played
Greg Oden- Missed first seven games of season
Kevin Durant- Completed full season
Not much of a big difference but Durant did complete a full season without major injuries.
Edge=Kevin Durant
3.Center VS Forward
Centers in the league tend to become slower as the years go on. Centers, however, are the key to a franchise and play a key role in a team. They also tend to have more and longer lasting injuries. Centers are, for the most part, in the post and stay there. Forwards are more active and can score from anywhere on the court. They can attack the basket but can also shoot. In the case of Kevin Durant he can also play exceptional defense. Greg Oden can also play great defense but the edge goes to the forward. Kevin Durant is more of a scoring forward but can score and play just as good defense as Oden.
Edge=Toss Up/Depends on how both careers come out
4.High School Experience
Greg Oden- Greg played for Lawrence North High School Indianapolis. Great high school player but being that he is 7 feet tall, he probably played against 6-foot-4 centers. Maybe the tallest person he came across would be 6-foot-9 but still he had a large height advantage over everybody he played in high school. Any 7 foot tall high school center will dominate against smaller centers. I'm not taking away the credit he deserves for being a High School All-American, but he is towering against all competition.
Kevin Durant-Kevin played for two different high schools. For his junior year he transferred to Oak Hill Academy where many other future NBA players attended. After a year at Oak Hill he transferred back to his home in Maryland, where he would play for Montorose Christian Academy. He did however graduate from high school at the age of 17. He will be entering the NBA at the age of 18, even after one year of college.
Edge=Kevin Durant, Played at Oak Hill for one year and had a tougher schedule there then Greg Oden had playing against small centers.
5. Marketability
Greg Oden-Fair or not he has been compared to people twice his age and looks around the age of 45. Unless he gains the lovable factor like a Shaq or endorses a big shoe deal, Oden misses out on this category. He isn't the best public speaker and acts a little shy. Maybe he can hold a press conference at a gym to prove he can bench more the Kevin Durant, but I still don't think he can edge Durant.
Kevin Durant-NBA fans want a high scoring player that will produce numbers all the time. Who could you better ask for then Mr. Durant. He never once scored single-digits in college. His lowest game was ten points in a WIN over LSU. Fans want wins a big scoring. Kevin presents all of this to the table. He has already signed a deal with Upper Deck and will probably sign a big shoe deal worth millions. Compare his shoe game to Shaq and Kobe. Most of you probably haven't even heard of Shaq's shoes but if you have you will know the Kobe's are much more popular. Kevin Durant is like a Kobe (not comparing his game to Kobe, I'm comparing his SHOE game) in that he is near the same stature. Greg Oden is more in the stature of Shaq.
Edge=If you haven't picked up on it yet Durant is much more marketable then Greg Oden. Not to say that Greg Oden isn't marketable, but Durant is WAY more marketable the Oden will ever be.
Overall Edge=Kevin Durant
