It’s been a little over a month since we saw that Greg Oden workout video from China, and now we finally got to see him in action in a real game.
Oden suited up in a preseason game for the Jiangsu Dragons as they took on the Yao Ming owned Shanghai Sharks and he looked…pretty great? The seven-footer put up some pretty impressive numbers (23 points, 14 rebounds) and looked pretty dominant in doing so.
Oden’s highlights from his CBA debut are up on YouTube (with some pretty epic movie trailer music to go along with it) and you can see him knocking down jump shots, scoring in the post, owning the glass, and even throwing down some monster jams – including one where he posterized former Florida State and Dallas Mavericks center Bernard James.
Oden’s talent has never really been the problem; it’s always been about his health. And while it’s only been one game in the CBA, so far so good for the former number one overall pick in that department.
He’s still just 27, and only signed a one-year deal with the Dragons, so if he can continue to put up numbers like that and somehow get through the whole season while staying healthy (easier said than done for him), don’t be surprised if some NBA team takes a flyer on him next season.