Who Was the 2007 First Pick in the NBA Draft and Where Are They Now?

The rain had just stopped when I walked out of the Tube station, the evening air carrying that distinct London chill that somehow feels both foreign and familiar. I was heading to a pub near Wimbledon Village, the kind of place where tennis enthusiasts gather during the Championships, their conversations buzzing with predictions and post-match analyses. As I pushed open the heavy wooden door, the warmth enveloped me along with the sound of clinking glasses and animated discussions about today's matches. Someone at the corner table was passionately arguing about underdog stories, and it struck me how sports constantly delivers these narratives of unexpected triumphs and heartbreaking near-misses. Just today, I'd watched an incredible match that got me thinking about beginnings and where they lead - which naturally made me wonder, who was the 2007 first pick in the NBA draft and where are they now?

Settling into a worn leather booth with my pint, I overheard two Americans debating Greg Oden versus Kevin Durant, their voices rising with the kind of passion that only sports debates can inspire. It took me back to that summer of 2007, when I'd just graduated college and spent my evenings watching draft coverage in my parents' basement, the air conditioner struggling against the Midwest humidity. The Portland Trail Blazers had chosen Greg Oden first overall, passing on Kevin Durant in what many considered a no-brainer decision at the time. Oden was supposed to be the next great big man, a defensive anchor who'd dominate the paint for a decade. I remember thinking Portland had secured their franchise player, their Tim Duncan for the new generation. We all know how that turned out, don't we?

The memory of that draft night feels particularly poignant today after watching that remarkable match between the young Filipina tennis player and Czech world No. 16 Barbora Krejcikova. The 20-year-old Filipina pushed Czech world No. 16 Barbora Krejcikova to the limit in a two-hour, 10-minute match before falling, 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, on Tuesday night, concluding her maiden campaign at the prestigious grass-court grand slam. There's something about watching a newcomer challenge established stars that always gets to me - that raw combination of talent, nerve, and the heartbreaking reality that sometimes your best just isn't quite enough on the day. It's the same feeling I had watching Greg Oden's career unfold, that mixture of awe at the potential and sorrow for what might have been.

Oden's journey took him from that glorious draft night to battling persistent knee injuries that limited him to just 105 games over his first five seasons. I still remember watching his NBA debut in 2008 - delayed a full year after microfracture surgery - and feeling that collective hope among basketball fans that he'd overcome the setbacks. He showed flashes of that promised dominance, averaging 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in his 21 games that season, but his body kept betraying him. There's a particular game against Miami I'll never forget - Oden swatting away a LeBron James drive to the basket with such authority that for a moment, you could see the player he was meant to become. Those moments became increasingly rare though, like finding gems in rubble.

After multiple surgeries and missed seasons, Portland finally waived him in 2012, and his subsequent stint with Miami lasted just 23 games. I've always wondered how athletes cope with that kind of trajectory - from top pick to fighting for roster spots, the weight of expectations gradually replaced by the struggle for relevance. By 2016, Oden was playing in China, averaging 13.6 points for the Jiangsu Dragons, a far cry from the arenas he was destined to dominate. The last time I saw him play was actually on YouTube - a grainy clip from his time with the Shanghai Sharks where he moved with obvious caution, the explosive athleticism that made him special now just a ghost in his movements.

These days, Oden works as a student manager for the Ohio State basketball team, completing his degree while mentoring young players. There's something beautifully circular about that - returning to the place where his legend began, now helping others navigate the pressures he once faced. I think about how different his story could have been if not for those troublesome knees, if he'd developed into the dominant force we all expected. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant, the second pick that year, has built a Hall of Fame career with two championships and an MVP award. It's one of those great sports "what if" scenarios that fans will debate for generations.

Sipping the last of my beer, I thought about how both Oden and that young Filipina tennis player represent different facets of the sporting experience - the crushing weight of unmet expectations versus the promise of a career just beginning. The tennis player may have lost her match, but at twenty, her story contains only possibility, not retrospect. Oden's narrative became one of resilience in the face of physical limitations, of finding purpose beyond the court when the game you love can no longer love you back. The pub had grown quieter now, the tennis discussions giving way to murmured conversations about work and weekend plans. I paid my tab and stepped back into the London night, the drizzle returning as I walked toward the station, thinking about how we're all writing our stories in real time, some chapters unfolding as expected while others take us to places we never imagined.