Greg Oden Signs With Miami Heat: Report

Greg Oden Signs With Miami Heat: Report
Portland Trailblazers center Greg Oden (52) blocks the shot of New Orleans Hornets guard Marcus Thornton (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Nov. 13, 2009. Portland defeated the Hornets 86-78. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Zachary Stieber
8/2/2013
Updated:
7/18/2015

Greg Oden, the former No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and whose career stats are low because he hasn’t played an NBA game since December 2009, will attempt a comeback with the Miami Heat, according to a report.

Oden had been choosing between six teams, including the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Oden agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the Heat at the NBA minimum. Marc Stein of ESPN also said the same thing.

The Heat lack a true center and often play power forward Chris Bosh at center. They paid for that lack of a true center in the NBA Finals as Tim Duncan scored many baskets on them.

Oden, a big 7-foot true center, was chosen No. 1 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft--ahead of Kevin Durant--but has just played 82 games in the NBA because of a string of injuries. Before he went into the NBA, Oden played one season for Ohio State University, which won the Big Ten that year, and was runner-up in the NCAA championship.

In his 82 games, Oden has averaged 22 minutes per game and 9.4 points per game, with a field goal percentage of .577, according to ESPN. He’s never attempted a 3-pointer. He’s also averaged 1.4 blocks per game and 7.3 rebounds per game.