Greg Oden: “It’s not like teams are out there telling people they want me”

Greg Oden said he may not play this season. (Ron Hoskins/Getty Images)

Former No. 1 pick Greg Oden is still recovering from repeated surgeries on his knees and may not be able to play this year. Even if he can later in the season, he knows his options will likely be limited, reports The Terre Haute Tribune-Star‘s David Hughes.

“It’s not like teams are out there telling people they want me, because they’re not right now,” Oden told Hughes. “And I’m not out there telling people I want to go to a certain team. I want to go to a place where I can get healthy and with somebody who can believe in me and my skills — somewhere it could be a good fit for the both of us.”

…“I would love to play (in 2012-13), but I’m not going to rush anything. I need to take a year off. What I told (agent Mike Conley Sr.) was, ‘Look, I want to get back with a team. I want to play. If there’s a chance that later on in the (NBA) year, if I feel good or if I’m healthy enough to play, I would love to play this year.’ That’s the conversation we had. I think some people kinda blew that up and took his words and kinda changed them around. I know I need to get healthy first before I do anything.”

…”If it happens, it happens,” he said. “I’ve got to move on with my life. I know I want to play basketball. If I physically can’t play basketball, then I’ve got to move on … I’ve still got to wake up tomorrow. I’ve still got to live. One day, I’m going to want a family and I’ve got to provide for them. So if basketball doesn’t work out, you gotta keep it moving.”

Oden hasn’t played in the NBA since 2009 because of injuries. The No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Oden has played only 82 games in his career.