Greg Oden Staying In School?

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Conley Sr.: Oden hasn't decided on draft
 
April 14, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Is Greg Oden leaving Ohio State for the NBA?

Oden's father told a newspaper the 7-footer is turning pro, while the man who hopes to be Oden's agent, Mike Conley Sr., said Saturday night the decision hasn't been made.
 
"No. Definitely not. Not to say he's not going to decide that -- but, 100 percent, as of this moment, he hasn't decided," Conley, father of Oden's high school and college teammate, Mike Conley Jr., told The Associated Press.

"I talk to his mother every day, and I talk to (Ohio State coach) Thad Matta every day, and if Thad Matta and his mother and I don't know, then how can anyone else know?"

Greg Oden Sr. told The Indianapolis Star in a story published Saturday that his son will enter the NBA draft after leading Ohio State to the NCAA title game as a freshman. "They had an exciting season, but why take the chance on him getting hurt?" Oden Sr. said.

Conley Sr. spoke after a party celebrating Chicago's selection over Los Angeles as the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The 1992 Olympic gold medalist in the triple jump, he was part of Chicago's presentation to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"The process for Greg Oden is, he's going to talk to his mom today, he's going to talk to me tomorrow, and he's going to talk to Thad Matta on Monday," Conley Sr. said. "And after that, he's going to decide what he's going to do and when he's going to report it."

College underclassmen have until midnight on April 29 to declare whether they intend to make themselves available for the NBA draft.

Conley Sr. has been certified as an NBA agent. Oden Sr. told the Star that the former track star would represent his son.

"First, he's going to decide whether to come out, and then he's going to decide who'll represent him," the elder Conley said. "I hope I have a good shot at it. I don't want to be presumptuous."

As for his son, an Ohio State guard, Conley Sr. said he expects a decision by the end of next week about whether he'll head to the NBA.

"I don't know what he's going to decide," he said. "It's a tougher decision for him than it is for Greg Oden, because in his mind, he was going back to school next year, 100 percent, before the Final Four."
 

[R-Tistic]

I can understand both sides of this...some people are like "hell no, you have to be a f'kin idiot to stay, and if he gets hurt, I won't feel bad for him at all, and it's no way in hell you can leave that money there" but I don't feel like that at all, especially since I'm in college. I feel that one year in college can be much more impactful to him, on the court and off, than just one more year in the NBA...especially since most players will end their career playing at a level nowhere near their prime. I don't think it'll shorten his NBA career at all, because 82 games with possible playoffs and all will be a lot more stressful on him than just playing 35-40 games in college, especially with shorter games...so it could help his conditioning.

But damn, when there are millions of dollars right there in your face, it is VEEEEEEEEERY hard to turn down, and may even seem pointless to stay. So do what you gotta

[Don Jacob]

i say he should take the money and run


going back to college is ALWAYS an option


kobe skipped playing in college and still attended UCLA

shaq finished his degree with LSU


so i don't see what's wrong with forgoing college FOR NOW for guaranteed millions. even if he only plays one year pro he's pretty much set for life. college is ALWAYS going to be an optionthe NBA is a limited time offer that you have to take right away if you can

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

But what if one of his goals is to win an NCAA championship? Maybe he wants a complete resume...