Greg Oden is out for the season, needs microfracture surgery on left knee

By Cindy Boren

Greg Oden is 3-for-4, in a really awful way: that's how many of his NBA seasons have ended because of an injury. Oden, the Portland Trail Blazers center who was the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, will have microfracture surgery on his left knee and will not play this season.

"It's just really sad," Blazers Coach Nate McMillan said Wednesday night. "Shocking news to hear."

Oden, 22, hasn't played since December, when he had surgery to repair a broken left kneecap. This time, the Blazers said, he will have surgery Friday in Vail, Colo., to repair damaged cartilage. This injury is unrelated to the patella injury, the team says, and appears unrelated to any incident.Oden, who missed his rookie season because of microfracture surgery on his right knee, was averaging 11.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks when he broke his kneecap last year. Because he is injury-prone, the Blazers said last month that they would not offer him a contract extension, making him the first No. 1 pick since the Wizards' Kwame Brown to fail to get one at the end of his rookie season. That means Oden will be a restricted free agent July 1, although Porrtland would be able to match any offers for him.

Over his four seasons, Oden has played in 82 games, one full NBA season.