PORTLAND, Ore. – For the third time in four years, Greg Oden’s knees have betrayed him.
The Portland Trail Blazers hastily called a press conference Wednesday night to announce that Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft, will miss the season after he has microfracture surgery on his left knee.
Oden’s rookie year was postponed because of similar surgery on his right knee, and last season he broke his left kneecap early in December and again required surgery.
He was still rehabbing when the latest problem was discovered.
“As you can expect, this young man is devastated about not having the opportunity to play this season, being so close to getting back on the floor and just all of a sudden, this situation comes up and it’s like, here we go again for him,” Portland coach Nate McMillan said.