After Oden and Durant go, the NBA draft fun will begin

Who’s taken third is a popular guessing game for professional
basketball fans.

NEW YORK (AP) — With a basketball in his hands and a baby blue suit covering his 7-foot frame, Greg Oden exited a midtown hotel ballroom Wednesday just before Kevin Durant arrived.

Oden hopes that isn’t the last time he goes ahead of Durant.

The freshmen from Ohio State and Texas are considered the can’t-miss kids in a deep NBA draft that includes the next potential Chinese all-star, the core of Florida’s back-to-back national championship teams, and other players who could’ve been vying for the top spot in other years.

Not this time. They’ll have to settle for being No. 3 after Oden and Durant — or Durant and Oden.

The Atlanta Hawks own that third choice, along with No. 11, but were one of many teams reported to be considering a deal on the eve of the draft.

On the clock

The Portland Trail Blazers will make the Oden-Durant decision, and they haven’t said publicly which way they’re leaning. And if they are still flip-flopping, they aren’t the only ones.

“I’m taking the big guy,” Washington center Spencer Hawes said when asked what he would do. “Look who wins the championships. Nothing against Kevin, but you just got to look at the backbone of championships.”

It’s not an easy choice. Oden tested better at predraft camp, Durant had the sharper workout in Portland.

Dominant big men are usually impossible to pass up, and Oden could be a great one. He has been compared to Bill Russell for his rebounding and shot blocking, and he led Ohio State to the national championship game even while never at full strength after surgery on his right wrist.

Praise for Oden

“You can see why he’d be a No. 1 pick,” Durant said. “I think he’s one of the best centers to come out of college. He’s quick and agile, he’s 7-feet, 250. I’ve never seen that in a center before.”

Players like Durant don’t come around often, either. The swingman from Texas was the college player of the year after averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, ranking fourth nationally in both categories. And if he falls to Seattle at No. 2, he’d make a terrific consolation prize.

“Without question, Kevin Durant’s the most talented player in this draft,” Texas A&M point guard Acie Law said. “But if I’m building a franchise, as most teams at the top of the draft are, you can’t pass up a guy you can just build your team around. Because there’s guys in the league that can score 20, 25 a game, like Kevin Durant can, but you’re not going to find a 7-foot manchild that can just patrol your line for 10, 12 years.”

Plenty of potential

There’s much more in this draft beyond Oden and Durant. Law said the top 15-20 players could become stars, setting up plenty of intrigue around the remainder of the lottery.

The Phoenix Suns were hoping to move up, the Charlotte Bobcats were possibly open to moving down, and the Trail Blazers were rumored to be interested in landing a second lottery pick.

That could put those teams in line for a shot at Al Horford, Corey Brewer or Joakim Noah from Florida, Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr., Georgetown forward Jeff Green, or Hawes.

Green was surprised to be called to a Tuesday workout in Phoenix with Brewer and Noah, even though the Suns aren’t scheduled to draft until well after the lottery. That shows there’s interest in players after Oden and Durant.

“I don’t think a lot of people put a lot of focus on that, after the first two draft picks, because it’s going to be fun to see where people end up,” Green said. “There’s a lot of talent in the draft. In my eyes, we feel like maybe the deepest draft since LeBron’s draft [in 2003].”