Nation’s top prep star picks Ohio State
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – The nation’s top high school player has chosen Ohio State as the place he wants to play college ball, and he’ll be joined by a familiar face. Teammates Greg Oden and Mike Conley announced their decision Wednesday at a news conference in the high school gymnasium where they developed their games and led Lawrence North to state championships the past two seasons.
Both said their choice did not reflect on Indiana coach Mike Davis nor his program. Davis had hoped to keep the 7-foot Oden, the National High School Player of the Year, in the state.
“I just felt more comfortable at Ohio State,” Oden said. “I love this (its) coaching staff.”
Oden averaged 20 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.7 blocks last season. He and NBA star LeBron James are the only players to be selected player of the year as juniors.
Conley said he liked Davis.
“It had nothing to do with him,” said Conley, who eliminated Indiana a while back. “It was just the style of play, I didn’t like it, and I felt I didn’t fit in.”
The 6-1 point guard averaged 10.7 points and five assists last season.
After discussing the pros and cons of many colleges they had considered, including Indiana, Michigan State and Illinois, Oden was delighted Conley would join him in college.
“He makes me better. He challenges me, gets me the ball in the right spot,” Oden said. “He passes me the ball in position where I can dunk it.”
It will be several months before the duo can officially decide on a college. The earliest they can sign a national letter of intent is Nov. 9.
Both said they had not considered the Buckeyes before coach Thad Matta, a former Butler coach, moved from Xavier to Ohio State.
“Their style fits me, and I feel I can make an impact,” Oden said. “He (Matta) has a great ability to get along with his team. He can really help me get to where I can go and I trust him.”
Many predicted Oden would be the top pick in the 2006 NBA draft until the league recently imposed an age restriction that made him and other high school players ineligible to jump to the pros like Kobe Bryant and James.
Oden said the NBA’s decision to stop drafting high school students didn’t affect his decision.
“I didn’t like the rule, but … I always knew I wanted to go to college,” Oden said.
And Oden, who has a 4.0 grade point average after three years, said he isn’t planning on jumping to the NBA after one season of collegiate play.
“They (the NBA) should assume that I’m going to get my education,” said Oden, adding that the quality of Ohio State’s accounting program also contributed to his decision.