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MEN'S NCAA TOURNAMENT
Oden shows off his wit, wisdom
Saturday, March 24, 2007
SAN ANTONIO — Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, but always insightful, Ohio State's Greg Oden showed the national media a personality big enough to match his 7-foot, 280-pound frame.
Some highlights of his 30-minute Q&A session Friday:
Extras
• About life in the dorm with his fellow freshmen — "My mom's not there. It's kind of dirty. We take out the trash like every five weeks. No, we've got David Lighty, he's pretty clean. So that's nice. Daequan (Cook) has (a George Foreman grill). Everybody uses it."
• Asked what he'd like to buy — "Movies." Asked to clarify what he'd buy if he had a bunch of money: "Best Buy ... and use it like a toy store.
• On why he would have gone to college even if the NBA draft rule didn't exist — "I don't feel I was ready to go right after high school. I've just got to keep on improving my game. I feel I've got a lot of work to still do. Offensively, being able to score.
"That's mostly what the NBA is — the scores. Just getting stronger and being more aware from a basketball standpoint."
• About why he drives a red Blazer instead of his old one — "The black one broke down when I ran out of gas. I was coming back from Buffalo with my brother (Anthony), and he was like, 'You need to stop there (for gas).'
"And I'm looking at the one little meter, and it says you've got 75 miles (left), and the gas thing is like way past E(mpty). A mile after, you couldn't see the one exit. It just froze on me. A scary moment in life."
• On hearing about OSU fans watching these recent tight games — "I've heard a lot of people are cussing out the television."
• About future AAU coach Mike Conley Sr. asking if Oden would play with his summer team — "They were all out back shooting around with my brother. I'm just in the house looking around the corner, looking out the window. He asked me, 'Do I want to go back and practice?' I'm like, 'No. I want to watch my cartoons.' "
• On flying — "I sit in the exit row ... by myself. I ask for the exit row or I have to sit in first class. I make that happen sometimes, what can I say?
"People are sometimes nice. Some of the business guys who have their laptops are like, 'Nah, I need my space.' "
• About the type of defense he most likes to play against — "If I get the ball, move out the way."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com.
