The Curse of Ohio State Big Men

My grandfather went to Ohio State a long time ago, and since i was young I've followed them, and have grown to love watching the Buckeyes football team play on Saturdays and the basketball team in the winter. Whenever there is a draft i follow which Buckeyes will be playing in the pros. I know most of the guys who play currently and former greats, from point guard Aaron Craft to former quarterback Terrelle Pryor. I love seeing the Patriots and other teams draft Buckeyes and see them make impacts in the pros. 

Averaging 6 ppg and 5.8 rpg for the Boston
Celtics as a rookie.

The football program has sent many great players to the NFL, and the NBA has gotten great prospects from OSU. But if i were an NBA GM, i would avoid drafting big men from Ohio State. Not because they aren't talented and can't be good players, its because they have trouble staying healthy. Two great Buckeye ballers,  Greg Oden and Jared Sullinger, have struggled with serious injuries in their short careers. Sullinger recently had back surgery and will miss the rest of his rookie season. He was drafted 21st overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2012 draft, after averaging 17.3 points in two seasons under Ohio State coach Thad Matta. Oden has undergone three microfracture surgeries and another surgery on his kneecap.  He was drafted first overall in 2007 by the Portland Trailblazers, and has played in a total of 82 games since then. Both guys are tall, thick, and strong low post guys. Oden is 7'0 285 pounds and Sullinger is 6'9 260 pounds. That size plus the stress of the way they play basketball adds up to the strong possibility for injuries.

Oden missed his entire rookie
season due to injury

Hopefully, this trend does not continue. Current Buckeye Deshaun Thomas, a 6'7 215 pound forward, should be a good NBA prospect sometime in the next year or two. He currently leads thee Big 10 Conference in scoring at 20 ppg. NBA GM's may be hesitant to take him, due to this bad history. But hopefully his play will do the talking, and hopefully Jared and Greg can both comeback from their injuries and be impact NBA players.

Big 10 leader in scoring at 20.0 ppg

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