The Miami Heat got another solid piece of news this past week after former number one overall pick Greg Oden signed with the team and now he joins LeBron James and company as they try to win a third straight championship and he explained his decision and his thought process in an interview with the website Grantland.com.
Oden said in the interview that one of the main reasons he signed with the Heat was to win a championship, but also because he wouldn't be needed early in the season so he still has time to rest and recover. Oden has only played in 82 games in his career after dealing with knee injuries and he hasn't played in the league for a number of years and now he will get another chance to show the potential he had coming out of Ohio State. The Heat needed some depth inside and if Oden can play 20 minutes a game when he is ready.
Oden showed some flashed in the past during his last season in the NBA in the 2009-10 season and he averaged 16.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per 36 minutes and if he can put up something close to those numbers, the Heat will be in prime position next year. The team is looking for its fourth straight finals appearance and with Derrick Rose coming back and the Nets look strong, the Heat will have plenty to fight for this season.
"Obviously the chance to play with the best player in the world and compete for a championship was a big selling point," Oden told me. "But more than that, what I really liked was how they thought I could really add something to their team. They've won back-to-back championships without me, so for them to pursue me as hard as they did meant a lot, especially given all that I've gone through."
