JaVale McGee vs. Greg Oden

by Rook6980 on Dec 3, 2008 4:34 PM EST Comment 30 comments

I think it's time we brought back the "JaVale McGee vs. Greg Oden" debate...

After all, we promised the Blazers Edge folks we would revisit that debate on December 3rd.

Until tonight's game, I'd tend to think the two sides are still solidly in their respective Blazers and Wizards camps.

Will one of JaVale's oop dunks change some minds?

Will Oden make us think we were foolish for even bringing up the subject?

This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.

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id still

rather have oden

by joshp on Dec 3, 2008 5:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

for sure

by hibachi on Dec 3, 2008 6:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just asking this question does a disservice to those who know anything about hoops. These guys are not even close. JaVale will be great and should give Washington what they are looking for in a center. Yet, GO is one of a kind. Wait till he gets back his 40 inch verticle and combines athletism with his monster frame. Excellent passer also. Greg is going to be very, very special.

by ItsMrHarris2u on Dec 3, 2008 6:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If you want to talk legit

please show me where Greg Oden has a 40" vertical. I know he had a 32" standing and 34" running vert predraft, but I have not seen 40" anywhere. I think he’ll be lucky to get back to 34" vertical post knee op.

Lets not forget that JaVale was supposed to be a long term project. He also has the benefit of having two legs that are equal length going for him. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next five years. At that point JaVale will be 25 and Oden will be 42. The picture should be much clearer by then.

by DT711 on Dec 3, 2008 7:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you make good points, except for the age thing

in thery is the only place that portland fans have a consences agreement as to odens supiriority, but since nobodies ever been inducted to the hall of fame their rooky year, notwithstanding speculation, the question is(unfortunatly for portland fans) perfectly legit.

faithful BEdge reader

Travis please save us

by Sabonis4Ever on Dec 2, 2008 5:14 PM PST Gameday Open Thread: Blazers vs. Knicks on Blazer's Edge

by maid tu rek on Dec 4, 2008 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Is it just me?

Or was that really hard to read?

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Dec 5, 2008 11:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was hard to read

Glad somebody else said it.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Dec 5, 2008 11:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

We have fun over at the BE with Maid tu rek. He/she is good natured about it and has made me laugh out loud numerous times.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Dec 5, 2008 8:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, Portland fans

What’s up!

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Dec 3, 2008 9:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder what Portland would look like

if they had taken Durant.

by hibachi on Dec 3, 2008 6:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

a lot worse

that’s for sure.

by Bust a Bucket on Dec 3, 2008 11:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

why

by hibachi on Dec 4, 2008 12:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sure, he's a scorer, but where's the rest of his game?

4 rebound, 1.7 assists, 3.1 turnovers, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks… those are his per game averages this season. And that’s from a guy that people were honestly thinking was going to be a dominant player when he was drafted. Sure, some of that is because his team sucks, but 4 rebounds and 1.7 assists, that’s inexcusable.

The Blazers have 3 skinny, long, SFs who can shoot the three (Webster/Outlaw/Batum). None are all around scorers even close to Durant, but Batum is 19 years old and already plays better defense than Durant for stretches.

Would Portland be “a lot worse” if they had drafted Durant? Ok, maybe that was overstated a little. But I don’t think they would be any better, and right now is not the time to worry about whether they’d be worse or better. Give them 2 years. Oden is still coming off not playing a real basketball game for over 500 days and he’s already putting up double doubles. Write him off as a bust at your own peril. If he isn’t a bust, he will make the Blazers a lot better than Durant could and will make the Blazers’ shooters (Webster, Fernandez, etc.) look like poor-man’s Durants.

by Bust a Bucket on Dec 4, 2008 6:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Webster skinny ???!?!?!?!?

Even though he’s trimmed down, I’ve always tought that if he had a problem with his body, it was that he was too fat, rather than skinny…

I think Durant would be a different player with our team, first of all, he would have played at his natural position at SF, and therefore would have developped differently. Even if he was fired, I think Carlessimo doesn’t get enough criticism for at least playing Durant at the two (I hear people saying he got a bad roster to play with, though it’s true he still under achieved in my opinion…)

I love Webster and Rudy, but I think they are FAR FAR away from Durant and not the same kind of players, Rudy is way shorter, Martell’s shorter and if one day he’ll have half Durant’s dribbling ability, I think chickens will have teeth.

All that being said, and even if I WAS for drafting Durant over Oden, I think I was wrong and think that baring a career threatning injury to Oden, Greg was the right choice.

Lets’s see how Durant performs at the three before judging him too heavily, but I agree that he’s been a slight disappointment so far. BUT he’s far away from Martell and Rudy

by Blenzer on Dec 5, 2008 9:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

nah, I agree, Durant might be the next T-Mac

but Webster and Rudy will be the next Sean Elliott and Ginobelli and win championships.

I guess my point is that it’s easier to find SF/wing type guys that can play a very good role for you than it is to find Centers that can play dominant for you.

And I know Webster isn’t skinny (which is why he’s a good SF, strong and good size) but I wasn’t expecting Blazer fans over here who knew that. It was more efficient and easier to make my point by lumping those guys together. I like Webster a lot and hold so much hope for him still because of his size. Great looking NBA body. He was raw coming out of HS and has to learn a lot the last few years, but I think of this as his senior year in college. He will break out and show the consistency that Outlaw still can’t show in his 6th year in the league.

But again, totally agree that Durant will always be better than Rudy/Martell/Batum, but I think those 3 will be very servicable wings alongside Roy for the next 10 years, and it would be harder to find a serviceable Center to replace Oden if we had Durant instead.

And as far as this whole McGee v. Oden stuff… time will tell, but I’m not too worried. Plus, it’s the team around them that will make the difference. What is Washington’s future?

by Bust a Bucket on Dec 5, 2008 6:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My apologies

I don’t know why I talk about Rudy when you didn’t even mentionned his name… My mistake…
Appart from that I agree with what you’re saying, though your conclusion questionning Washington’s future might be a bit inappropriate on this site…

by Blenzer on Dec 7, 2008 12:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But I think Durant's ceiling

might be higher than T-Mac…

by Blenzer on Dec 7, 2008 12:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess

I have to admit I would take Oden back for Mcgee in a trade. But discussing JaVale in the same sentence is definitely not the are-you-kidding-me thought it would have been 3 months ago.

Getting buckets since 2003.

by Icantfeelmyface on Dec 3, 2008 11:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Oden of course

But we got a pretty good deal as Javale wasn’t first overall. Portland is lucky that they have a good backup center in Joel as I don’t see Oden playing more then 30 odd minutes a game ever unless he gets slimmer.

by Fundefined on Dec 4, 2008 12:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Blazer fan here

I would definitely take Oden, as has been stated, he just has the chance to be a very, very special player. He has a LONG way to go, but he is already the league’s best rebounding center, according to Hollinger’s Rebound rate—which should be taken with a grain of salt, of course, but at least a quantitative sign of how well he rebounds, already.

Portland also has the second best rebound differential inthe League, after beign terrible in this last year, and much of that is thanks to Oden. At this point, that’s what we need of him—to rebound, block shots, and just be a presence that affects shots on the defensive end.

As far as McGee, I have to say, I sort of laughed at this question when I heard it a few days ago—but after watching the game, I was DEFINITELY impressed with him—he’s a fast, high-flying big man, I saw him hit a nice mid-range jumpshot, and he was very aggressive, and active all over the place. I think he’ll be a great player.

Hope you guys get Arenas back, and things turn around a bit. Jamison, Butler, Arenas, and it looks like McGee probably are all great players.

by TimG on Dec 5, 2008 1:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I work with a guy whose last name is McGee

He claims to not know if there is any relationship, but goes on to say that he has at least 47 cousins that he knows of on the McGee side and that he himself is number six of eleven siblings. So anything is possible. We all call him Mr. McGee.

Is there a relevance to this? I don’t know. But it seems to me that guys like McGee are more common and more readily available than guys like Oden. Sorry, McGee, but if I had to make a choice of who I would rather have carry me out of a burning building, I would choose Oden.

Everytime.

"...and that loud noise you hear coming is the Portland Trailblazers." - Charles Barkley

by RebelRogue on Dec 5, 2008 1:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

What?

guys like McGee are more common and more readily available than guys like Oden

Common?

7ft Centers with a 7ft 6in wingspan are common? 7ft Centers with that kind of athleticism are common? 7ft Centers with a 33in vertical and a 9ft 7in standing reach are common? Guys that can dunk on a 12 foot rim are common?

No – I think plodding 7 footers that look like they’re 42 years old, sporting a unibrow and hairy knuckles are the more common type…

The only uber-athletic 7ft Centers I can think of right now are Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee……. and perhaps Tyson Chandler… but that’s it.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Dec 5, 2008 11:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Whoa! Peace. Chill.

You Rook seem to look for and take offence where none was intended or implied. I’ll let it go as a Rook mistake.

I only posted here because I know a McGee, and had a conversation with him about this the very same day. I am well aware of my homerism. As the saying around here goes – “I bleed Red and Black.” So I can see how homerism can affect your views and opinions as well. Nothing wrong with that.

But I’ll clarify, anyway.

First, you are absolutely correct that McGee is not common – just more common than a freak of nature like Oden. I am very impressed with McGee, his reach, athleticism, etc. But there are certainly more tall, thin guys with long arms and mad hops in the NBA than guys with the bulk and intimidation factor of centers like Shaq, Dwight, and yes, Oden.

McGee may be a more versatile and talented offensive player, but Oden and his Cro-Magnon appearance and sheer bulk are impossible to overlook by anybody. Just knowing he’s in the game affects how the opposing team will play. His defensive presence is more than impressive – it’s scary. And that’s all the Blazers really need from him. They have plenty of talented offensive threats.

So, meaning no slight against McGee, but for the Blazers, give me Oden anyday. I’m happy for you that you are happy with McGee. I am extatic and exhilarated to have Oden. It’s not even a contest.

"...and that loud noise you hear coming is the Portland Trailblazers." - Charles Barkley

by RebelRogue on Dec 5, 2008 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Uh

Sorry … but when you Blazers fans come here and say stuff like Oden has a “40 inch vertical”, and “guys like McGee are …… common” – well then, I just gotta speak up.

Right now, Oden’s and McGee’s per-40 minute numbers are comparable. Oden rebounds quite a bit better, but McGee scores more and has more blocks. But JaVale is raw…. really raw.

Once he stops biting on pump fakes, he’s gonna be a very, very good Defensive player. If he puts on 30 pounds of muscle, he’ll be a game changer on Defense. A guy that can control a game from the Defensive side.

Let’s remember that Oden was a Number 1 pick. There’s a lot of expectations that go with that.

JaVale McGee was an 18th pick – and he’s shown the Wizards fans that he may be the steal of the draft

The Wizards had to install a special camera just for JaVale – with his entire head above the basket, and with his 7′6 wingspan you can’t see what he is doing on most of the dunks.

McGee is supposed to be able to dunk on a 12-foot rim.

Mike Wise, sports columnist for the Washington Post calls McGee “Kid Dynamite”. He has further proof that JaVale McGee can dunk on a 12-foot rim. Actually, McGee says he can dunk on a 12 and a half foot rim

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Dec 5, 2008 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"Javale is raw...really raw"

Both of them are. Oden is raw and coming off an injury.

How bout we revisit this debate in about… two years.

honor rasheed wallace

by Cablinasian on Dec 6, 2008 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You're speaking past Rook

You said McGee was more common that Oden. Rook clearly showed you were wrong. He did not take offense. He did not call you any names or insult your basketball knowledge. He just showed why your point was wrong. He attacked ideas, not character.

Rook never said McGee is better than Oden.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Dec 6, 2008 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oops, didn't realize you didn't make the initial comment

My sincere apologies.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Dec 6, 2008 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting stuff!

I apologize for my poor choice in wording. I meant no offence. Once again, JaVale is not common. He reminds me of Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four who can stretch to incredible lengths.

McGee’s ceiling is very high. Maybe they’ll have to raise that too. :)

For the rest of the league’s sake (and the Blazers), I hope the NBA never raises the rim to a regulation 12-foot height. Yikes.

"...and that loud noise you hear coming is the Portland Trailblazers." - Charles Barkley

by RebelRogue on Dec 6, 2008 3:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

McGee

For now, Oden is clearly better. Javale has to improve his finishing skills on the offensive end and stop using his 36 inch vertical on every pump fake. But I love watching him and he’s much better than I anticipated. I enjoyed watching him try to match Oden block for block. Might be a great match-up for the next several years.

by hotplate on Dec 5, 2008 8:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

JaVale

Coming over from the Blazers Edge. Hello all & great game the other day ! In regards to your young center(appears we have one of our own …) I truly wish we would have drafted McGee instead of Jerryd Bayless. Allowing McGee to learn behind Przybilla until he is ready to become our full time 3rd post(backup for both post positions). I enjoy his effort on the court & congratulations on finding someone positive for your frontcourt.

RLEC Trades Galore!

by TheGreatDane17 on Dec 5, 2008 1:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs