Greg Oden, Part-Time Athlete, Full-Time Knee Wrecker, Is Out For The Season

Greg Oden, 82-game, 22 year-old veteran, announced today that he is surrendering another NBA season to have microfracture surgery on his left knee. It's considerate of him, really. At least he's disappointing Blazers fans a little bit earlier this year!

Luckily, the Blazers say, this new injury is unrelated to the injury to his left patella that took him out last season. However, it is the same surgery that he had on his right knee in September 2007, which forced him to miss what would have been his rookie season. Oden has appeared in just 82 games in the past two seasons.

So far, one of the few highlights of Oden's NBA career has been once forcing Jermaine O'Neal to make "several wild, fading attempts" in a game. If he ever plays in another NBA game in his life, I hope for his sake that he's able to improve upon that bio line.

The Blazers are 7-5 and third in the Northwest without him.

Greg Oden to have surgery [ESPN]