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GREG ODEN
CHECKS IN
The NBA's super-sized rookie may be warming the bench,
but it hasn't stopped him from being a "virtual" star.
BY REBECCA LOUIE
SO WHAT IF he’s sitting out his first NBA sea
son? Portland TVail Blazer Greg Oden, 19, still
has got game. This year’s No. 1 draft pick is
currently healing from microfracture surgery
to his right knee, but he holds virtual court as the cover
boy of the new video game College Hoops 2KB ($59.99).
The 7-foot center interrupted his free time to talk with us
about movies, muscles and man’s best friend, his prized
pup, Charles Barkley McLovin.
What's it like to be a video game cover boy?
It feels good! I recently went to
a store, and I stood next to the
video game display to see if any
body recognized me. I acted like
I was reading a magazine but had
a big old smile on my face, trying
to hint, like, “You see me?” You
don’t want to flat-out say that be-
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32
USA WEEKEND • Dec. 28-30,2007
cause it would seem like I’m 1
arrogant. But a few r people came
up to me and said, “Hey, that’s you!”
and I was like, “Oh, really?” Like
I didn’t know.
Do you play video games?
Every now and then, especially
now that I got a lot of free time. I
like racing games, action stuff [and
music games like] Sing Star Pop
and Guitar Hero. But in real life,
Y Oden is College Hoops'
cover athlete. As a freshman,
he led Ohio State to the
NCAA national title game.
L r-rm
& a?
◄ Forget
the dog bed.
Charles
Barkley
McLovin,
Oden's Boston
terrier/beagle
mix, insists
on the lap
of luxury.
The rehab must be working. Congrats on
ditching your crutches!
The leg, my calves and quads are getting stronger. It’s
feeling pretty good.
You got paid a reported $3,885 million for
your rookie year. Does being injured affect
your payout?
I am horrible at instru
ments. I haven’t played
many just a few keys
on a piano.
What are your
days like?
I get up, eat a bowl of
cereal, go to the prac
tice facility and do my
rehab. I lift, then I
come home and put
a movie in while I *
nap. I can’t sleep jfk
without the TV Vil
on, and I have ' w
it loud. Then
I w-ake up and
w'atch more TV.
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It better not. [Laughs.] I don’t think
it does.
Make any big purchases
to celebrate your salary?
I got my mom a car, and she just
closed on a house. I bought my
L brother a truck, and I helped
my dad with his house. The
' house I’m renting (just out
side Portland] also costs
a lot of money.
.. And then there's
your new puppy.
He is so spoiled. His
name is Charles Barkley
McLovin. I am a big fan of
Charles Barkley and the movie Super
bad [which has a teenage nerd-stud
character who goes by the alias Mc-
Lovin]. I’ve seen it about five times.
My dog is a Boston terrier/beagle mix,
so he’s not that big. He can fit on my
lap. I sleep with him.
On your blog at yardbarker.com,
one post you wrote about
sitting on the sidelines was
titled "The Depression."
I called it that... because I was a lit
tle sad I couldn’t play that first game.
I just wanted to be out there. But I
am learning a lot from being on the
sidelines. I’m supposed to be scouting
other teams, watching the other cen
ters play. We had a close game with
Philly, and my heart was beating
fast, like I was actually playing. I
get so into the game.
■ We also hear you've packed
W on some weight. About
20 pounds?
Before I got hurt, I was trying to get bigger. When I
got here, I started eating healthy cereals and fruit, no
fast food. I lift every other day. Since I’m not playing,
a big concern is that I’m going to lose my quickness.
So it's all just big, manly muscle?
I like to say so when I talk to the ladies. Or look in the
mirror. E 3
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