OFFICIAL GREG ODEN INTERVIEW

GREG ODEN OFFICIAL INTERVIEW WRITTEN BY: An'Drea Denman I took some time to interview my good friend NBA #1 Draft Pick Greg Oden who is currently recovering from knee surgery. I asked him a few questions and he took the time to give ALIFEINSPORTS.COM the up close and personal on whats going on in his life these days. ANDREA : How has life changed since becoming the #1 NBA draft pick ? GREG : Life for me has not changed that much since I've become a #1 pick, I always have been recognized so that's not different, the biggest thing would be that I'm not living in the mid-west anymore and I have a lot more money than before. ANDREA: If we were to ask your friends and or family about you what would they say to best describe you? GREG :I would hope they would say that I'm a great young man, hard worker, good heart, very humble, and a better person than anything. ANDREA :What have you purchased since being drafted? GREG: Since being drafted I haven't really purchased anything to crazy just a car for my mom, I had to get a house, and most of the things that I have purchased has been for my house, pretty soon I will be buying my brother a car, and also I get little stuff here and there for my other family members so nothing to big or crazy with my spending. ANDREA: Do you think that you still have remained the same person that you were pre-draft and a few million more in your bank account? GREG: I'm sure I've stayed the same person nothing but my bank account getting getting larger has really changed in my life, I still have a good family great friends and a good supporting cast around and I still love basketball, the bank account will not change who I am on the inside. ANDREA: What emotions have you gone through since finding out that you will potentially be out for your whole rookie season? GREG: My emotions have not been as bad as I thought they would be I just look at this in a positive manner not a lot of people get to sit enjoy and scout the whole entire league in there first season, so that's a plus for me and just the people that I have around me keep me thinking good positive thoughts all of the time. ANDREA: The beginning of your college career at Ohio State you also missed a significant amount of time how can you compare that to your current situation? GREG:Last year with my wrist it was a different situation just because with my wrist I knew I was gonna be back and be able to play more than half the season and with this injury I know for a fact that I will not be coming back this year to play. So just the extent of the time I will be out makes this injury different, but just like the wrist I will come back and be better than ever. ANDREA: For all of our readers and your fans that still don't understand exactly what micro-fracture surgery is, can you explain a little about it and your particular micro-fracture surgery? GREG: Well I had a piece of cartilage missing in my knee about the size of someones pinky fingernail it was in the outer back part of my knee so what they did was go in and drill little holes so that blood will be allowed to come in and then form blood clots, which will then start to turn back into cartilage. ANDREA: What preparations are you taking to ensure that you come back better than ever? GREG: I will not rush myself back thats the biggest advice I have gotten from doctors and people who have been through this surgery. So I will not rush back and I will do everything you are suppose to in your rehab. ANDREA: How much love and support has Portland and all of your fans around the world shown you since the injury? GREG: My fans have been great the city of Portland has been awesome, every time I see people out they give me words of wisdom and they all tell me that they are still happy that they drafted me and I get fan mail everyday from all over the US and a lot from China. ANDREA: For all of the kids that look up to you and want to be like you what advice can you give the future Greg Oden's or kids that aspire to play in the NBA? GREG: Just keep working hard and make sure that if this is what you want to do keep in mind that it is a game have fun with it don't let it consume you. ANDREA: Last but not least tell us something personal about yourself that you've never said in a interview before? GREG: I sleep with my dog!!!!!!!!