Mar 11, 2007; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes center (20) Greg Oden cuts off a piece of the net after winning the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Ohio State defeated Wisconsin 66-49. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images Copyright © 2007 Jerry Lai Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

Ohio State Goes Down Memory Lane with Greg Oden Nod

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Seth Orlemann | Last updated May 27, 2025 7:10 PM ET

On Tuesday, it was announced that Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith would grace the cover of EA Sports College Football 26 alongside Alabama WR Ryan Williams. In the Deluxe Edition, which also features S Caleb Downs and head coach Ryan Day, Smith will be in the front row.

Smith is the second Buckeyes athlete to appear on the cover a video game, preceded only by Greg Oden, who played basketball for the school during the 2006-07 season and appeared on EA Sports College Hoops 2K8.

Not the first time we’ve seen a Buckeye grace the cover of a video game #GoBucks | #DevelopedHere https://t.co/SRvU6M3PNZ pic.twitter.com/6UnamV3bRE
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) May 27, 2025

The head-turning 7 foot freshman appeared in 32 games in his only season for the Buckeyes, averaging a near double-double with 15.7 points per game and 9.6 rebounds per game. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Similar to Smith, Oden put up astonishing numbers his freshman season, leading the league in multple categories.

He led the Big Ten in total rebounds (306), total rebounds per game (9.6), offensive rebounds (113), defensive rebounds (193; also led the NCAA), blocks (105), blocks per game (3.3), and field goal percentage (.616).

The 2006-07 Buckeyes, coached by Thad Matta, went 35-4 (15-1 Big East) and won the Big Ten Tournament championship that season. They were the AP No. 1, advancing all the way to the March Madness final where the they fell to a Florida Gators team that featured Joakim Noah and Al Horford.

Also a freshman alongside Oden that season was guard Mike Conley, who is still active in the NBA playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals. Conley averaged 11.3 ppg and 6.1 assists per game for the Buckeyes that season. Conley's career is a testament to what Oden's could have been had he avoided injury.

As for what Oden is doing these days, he joined his former head coach, Matta, at Butler University as an assistant coach in 2022, but left the position in October of 2024 to pursue other interests. Today, he works as an athlete advisor at Edyoucore Sports & Entertainment.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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