Blazer trainer: Oden's knee 'fabulous'
Rookie center should be ready to go for preseason
By Kerry Eggers
The Portland Tribune, Jun 12, 2008, Updated 12.4 hours ago (3 Reader comments)
Greg Oden’s surgically repaired knee is progressing at such a clip that the man in charge of his rehabilitation believes he will be ready to play for the Trail Blazers during the 2008-09 exhibition season.
“I totally expect Greg to be able to play in the preseason,” says Jay Jensen, soon to begin his 15th season as the Blazer trainer. “How Nate (McMillan, the Portland coach) decides to use him, though, is up to Nate.”
Jensen stresses that the Blazers will continue to go slowly with Oden, who underwent microfracture surgery last September and missed the entire 2007-08 season. They did the same thing with Brandon Roy, who played in only the final two preseason games last year while recovering from a heel injury.
“We’re biding our time with Greg,” Jensen says. “Our goals this summer with him (include) maintaining his weight, strengthening his legs and letting the healing process continue without him taking a hard pounding.
“He’s not fragile, but it has been a long process for him. He has been getting antsy to get back out there, and we have been holding the reins on him.”
The 7-foot center, taken as the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft, is living in Columbus, Ohio, this summer, taking classes at Ohio State. While visiting Portland last week, he twice jogged a half-mile with Jensen.
“But his main cardio work is done on the elliptical machine and treadmill,” Jensen says. “He is doing shooting drills and stuff in the halfcourt.
“In August, we’ll start having him play one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three. And in September, when the guys come back (for informal voluntary scrimmage sessions), we’ll let him start playing fullcourt games. He’ll play maybe every other day, and every other game. The guys usually play six or seven games a day. We’ll have him play one game, sit out a game, go back in, sit out, and gradually build him up.”
Oden is examined monthly by Blazer team doctor Don Roberts, who has given positive reports.
“The knee looks fabulous,” Jensen says, “and his body is unbelievably powerful. His lower extremities are ridiculously powerful.”
Jensen guesses Oden weighs between 285 and 290 pounds.
“Once he gets more court activity, he is going to get down to his playing weight, which might be between 275 and 280,” the Blazers’ veteran trainer says. “But he won’t be in basketball shape until he’s out there playing basketball.”
