OSU s Oden, Conley still mum on NBA plans
4/12/2007COLUMBUS Greg Oden still doesn t know if he s going to the NBA or staying at Ohio State.
As for Buckeyes point guard Mike Conley Jr., I already told Mike that I was going to break his legs if he leaves, teammate Jamar Butler said with a laugh.
The Buckeyes said thanks to an estimated 4,000 fans at Value City Arena last night. Those looking for insight into what the 7-foot Oden or his close friend and high school teammate, Conley, are going to do must have gone home disappointed.
Oden and Conley, the freshmen who led the Buckeyes to the national championship game, only spoke during a brief interview session with a couple of former Ohio State players, Bill Hosket and Ron Stokes.
At one point, Hosket said he was going to ask the one question that everyone wanted an answer to then asked Oden and Conley what they had for lunch.
Chicken, Oden said. Turkey, Conley added, the crowd roaring with laughter.
Coach Thad Matta later said he had met with Oden last night but they only spoke in generalities. Oden and Conley and, supposedly, another Buckeyes freshman, substitute swingman Daequan Cook have until midnight on April 29 to declare whether they intend to make themselves available for the NBA draft.
I don t think he [Oden] has thought about it, Matta said. This is very similar to their recruiting process where everybody says, They know where they re going, they know where they re going and they don t. As I look back on their recruitment, they were very analytical, they were very thorough, and very in-depth to what they were looking for. It s kind of the same technique they ll use in this regard.
All three OSU players are in the process of filing paperwork with the NBA to determine how much interest there is.