Injured Miami Heat center Greg Oden has not played a regular season game in four years, and despite playing limited minutes during one game in the preseason is still far from getting on the court.
His teammate, Heat co-captain Dwyane Wade, suggested that Oden has been a bit frustrated with the wait to finally play on the court. The former no.1 draft pick was again inactive during the Heat's most recent game against the Sacramento Kings.
But the veteran shooting guard praised Oden's attitude, saying the center has listened well to Miami Heat training staff who want to keep the 7-footer healthy enough before being cleared for on-court action.
"His attitude has been great," Wade told The Miami Herald. "I'm sure at times he has gotten down and got a little frustrated, but he's giving himself a chance. He is listening to the guys who know the bodies very well - way more than us athletes."
Wade continued: "He is doing everything they ask him to do, so it's giving him an opportunity to get back on the court whenever that time comes. He's not rushing it, so as someone who has been through injuries before, I'm proud of him being patient, and I know he's frustrated because he wants to get out there and play with us. I know if he keeps doing what he's doing, his time will come."
The Heat took a chance on Oden in the offseason with the belief that he could be a vital cog in the playoffs, especially in defending against the Pacers behemoth Roy Hibbert. He was the number one overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant.
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