Greg Oden

Bill Simmons remarks that "For the season, Oden's averaging 15.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game (very good stats, but not eye-opening or anything)." My eyes are, in fact, open. Oden's playing 30 minutes per game. When Patrick Ewing was a freshman, he played the same minutes and scored 12.7 points, snagged 7.5 boards, and blocked 3.2 shots. When Hakeem Olajuwon was a freshman, he only played 18 mpg and scored 8.3 points, grabbed 6.2 rebounds, and blocked 2.5 shots. When Shaq was a freshman, he got 14 points, 12 boards, and blocked 3.6 shots. Alonzo Mourning's freshman year? 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and almost five blocks per game. Tim Duncan? 9.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.8 blocked shots in 30 mpg.

In other words, leaving aside the fact that Oden's playing with a bum wrist, his non "eye-opening" numbers are on track with the freshman numbers of the guys who went on to become the top big men in the league.