Greg Oden (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Greg Oden started his career with great promise after being selected first overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, due to recurring injuries, Oden could only play three seasons in the league, with stints on the Blazers and later the Miami Heat.

However, the regret that weighs heavily on Oden isn’t about his injury troubles but the rise in NBA salary caps after his retirement. In October 2016, Oden officially stepped away from professional basketball. Shortly after, the NBA saw a record increase of over 30% in salary caps during the summer of that year.

During a candid appearance on The OGs Show with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, Oden couldn’t hold back his feelings. The former NBA star expressed his frustration over missing out on the financial benefits that came with the salary cap increase.

“The year I retired was the year Timofey [Mozgov] got that $50M. And I wanted to kill everybody in the f****** world. I hated life. I was depressed. If they threw him 50 mil, I’m like, all I need to do is be on the team—that’s 20 easy,” Oden said.

Greg Oden NBA Career Highlights

Greg Oden faced a tough start to his NBA career, as he was unable to play in his rookie season due to knee surgery. His long-awaited debut came during the 2008-09 season with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played in 61 regular-season games. During that time, Oden averaged 8.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game.

 

Unfortunately, injuries continued to plague Oden’s career. The following season, he participated in only 21 games with the Blazers, but his performance improved, averaging 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.

Oden’s injury woes kept him off the court for the next two seasons. His injury led the Blazers to lose faith in their former first-round pick. In 2012, they ultimately decided to waive him.

In 2013, Oden signed with the Miami Heat, hoping for a fresh start. However, his time with the Heat was short-lived. He appeared in just 23 games, averaging 2.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and no assists in what would be his first and last season with the team.