I don’t know if everyone has heard of this guy. And maybe that’s telling in itself. The former Number 1 pick in the NBA draft is not a household name – which isn’t rare, necessarily. Not all draft picks pan out like they’re supposed to. But this behemoth of a player had all the tools to succeed in the NBA. He just didn’t have the health.

In the 2007 draft, Oden beat out now-proven players Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, and Al Horford. But in the five years since, those players and many others have experienced success while the oft-injured Oden has only been able to put together 82 appearances, the equivalent of one full NBA season.

His procedures and injuries:
- Microfracture surgery on right knee
- Chipped left knee cap
- Fractured left patella
- Microfracture surgery on left knee
- Arthroscopic surgery on right knee
- Microfracture surgery on left knee

Yes, count it up and that’s five knee surgeries (the chipped knee cap only needed time to heal). Five surgeries in five years, with each micro fracture surgery shortening his playtime by an entire season. For most players, that would be enough to pack it in and start selling insurance. Brandon Roy, who just so happens to be Oden’s teammate, retired after just five seasons due to recurring knee problems. Oden’s knees have been incomparably worse than Roy’s, and yet Oden says that he has no plan to retire.

I suppose that’s the purpose of this blog post – it’s a sad story, but it’s also a story of resilience and, hopefully in five years, a story of perseverance. Oden’s previous surgeries have all healed normally, and if he can find a way to make it through this most recent one, there’s always a chance that he can play again.

As for the average Joe suffering from recurring knee problems, I’d say it couldn’t hurt to take a page out of Greg Oden’s book. These injuries can be extremely intimidating at the time of diagnosis. It is normal to experience anxiety about your athletic future, or maybe the future of your mobility. But with the right treatment, willpower and effort hopefully you can bounce back.