I wanted to be a dentist when I was younger. But then I started to get big and realized that my hands were so big, I'd kind of scare the little kids away.
Greg Oden
I just realized that basketball and going to the NBA was a possibility, and that's something that I want to use to better my family and possibly help the world if I can.
Just basketball in general in Indiana is just huge, so that's everybody's getaway. That's our main thing, to think about the history. Obviously, Larry Bird is a very, very big part of that.
Me and my brother used to love when my dad walked in with a pizza. We used to watch Nickelodeon every Saturday night. That was, like, the greatest time ever.
Me being in shape allows me to be more mobile and do better things, make bigger plays.
Fundamentals - everybody has that. I definitely have that.
For a lot of guys in this league, it's confidence - once they play a year or two, they start to figure it out.
There's more to life than basketball, and at some point, it's going to end anyway.
I've got an old body.
I know I'm one of the biggest busts in NBA history, and I know it will only get worse as Kevin Durant continues doing big things.
If you're out there, and you can't do it, that makes you a bust. Well, I was never really out there. I was never Greg Oden in the NBA.
I know we're going to be connected for a long time, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. He's a really, really good player. I'm a pretty decent player. So I hope things work out.
I've got to warm up to warm up and then play. I understand that now.
I don't think I was that bad when I was on the court. I felt like it could have just got better if I had more time on there.
I'm going to try to jump over people, and I'm going to try to run all day. If my body lets me, I'll do it.
When you're on the court with guys that know basketball, it's a universal language for us.
All I know is what I've lived through, so this is what I know.
Is there any proof that I'm a bust? All there is proof of is that I have bad luck with injuries.
I lived in Indiana, and Reggie Miller was everywhere.
It wasn't like I was clinically depressed, but I was so down. I think I was probably depressed. Nothing went my way since college, and I put my head down and kind of pitied myself. That wasn't the right way to go.
My favorite player, growing up, was David Robinson. He was really the first person that I actually knew about and actually watched.
I'm not really worried about individual stats.
I just like to hang out with friends.
It's homework. It sucks.
I'd be lying if I said that it didn't suck to see Durant doing so well.
I could've signed with a team after Portland cut me and just sat on the bench and collected paychecks, but that's not my style. That just seems really unethical. Besides, money doesn't matter to me. I've got enough money.
When I was in Portland, there were some dark times for me.
There's been so many times when I've heard people not pulling for me. So I just play and try not to think about it.
I don't want to be one of those guys that people just talk about. I'm not good with people talking about me. I'd rather be the guy that just goes out and proves himself, and there's nothing left to say.
When I was out there on the floor, I think I did pretty good for myself... I've never really had enough time to play and actually improve.
I've been strong my whole entire life.
It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that you can't have fun.
I've played against LaMarcus Aldridge, and he kills me every time.
Marking success, for me, is walking onto a court and just walking off healthy, no matter if it is one minute or two minutes.
My dream is to be able to play basketball, and if I can go out there and do it, run up and down, and come off the court again healthy, that's goal one.
I'll be remembered as the biggest bust in NBA history. But I can't do nothing about that.
Growing up in Terre Haute, Indiana, there's not a whole lot to do. What I did was I just went to the basketball court at the Boys & Girls Club and literally stayed there all day until my mom got off of work.
I started to play in the fourth grade and didn't score for, like, a whole year.
Everybody would love to be able to be great and make it to the NBA All-Star Game as a rookie. I mean, that is everybody's goal.
I don't want to get dunked on too much, and I want to make it to the playoffs.
I wouldn't say I regret anything. I would say I just wish I did things better.
I'm just trying to better myself and work on my degree and set something up for the future of my family.
Since I've been in fourth grade, all I've known was basketball.
I'm just trying to work on my game and get better. That's all I can do. Keep working hard, keep trying.
When I get 100 percent, and I get to improve on the court, I feel I can be an All-Star.
When I get out there 100 percent, everybody will see what kind of player I am.
When you don't play hard enough, you don't win.
Don't get me wrong: if I was healthy, I would love to continue playing, but I'm not healthy.
It's frustrating that my body can't do what my mind wants it to do sometimes. But worrying or complaining about it isn't going to fix anything.
That's the worst part about all of the injuries and the criticism. It would be one thing if I had been healthy for five years and just sucked when I was on the court. But I can't prove what I can do because I can't stay healthy. Not having control over the situation makes it tough.
