Kevin Durant: Greg Oden never got a chance to become a bust
Kevin Durant and Greg Oden will always be linked because of the 2007 NBA draft.
Oden was chosen No. 1 overall by Portland, but his career was quickly derailed by injuries. Durant went at No. 2 to the Seattle SuperSonics and went on to become a superstar.
Last week, Oden told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” that he will “be remembered as the biggest bust in NBA history.”
But Durant isn’t having any of that kind of talk.
“Nonsense. That’s nonsense,” the Golden State Warriors star told ESPN on Sunday night. “In order for you to be a bust, you have to actually play and show people that you progressed as a player. He didn’t get a chance to.”
In five seasons with the Trail Blazers, Oden played only 82 games due to knee injuries and other health issues. He spent the 2013-14 season with the Miami Heat, appearing in 23 regular-season and three playoff games for the eventual champs, and hasn’t played in the NBA since.
“He didn’t want to get hurt. That was the last thing he wanted to do was to get hurt,” Durant said. “That wasn’t even in the cards, and he got injured and that was unfortunate. But when he did play, he was a force.”
Durant added: “He’s not a bust. He just didn’t play a long time because of injuries, and that’s just what it is.”
Twitter: @chewkiii
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