Former Portland Trailblazer and 2007 #1 overall pick Greg Oden is now working as a financial advisor for athletes. Oden recently went back to his alma mater Ohio State to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Industry, and now he is working at Edyoucore Sports & Entertainment as a consultant to professional and amateur athletes.
“I’m not saying I did terrible things with my money or lost it all, but if I was a little more knowledgeable about money then I probably would’ve made some better decisions and went a little bit differently in my life away from the court,” Oden told The Columbus Dispatch.
In 2007, Greg Oden earned the number 1 overall pick in the NBA after leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a National Championship. Oden had high hopes for his NBA career, but an ongoing knee injury kept Oden from reaching his potential athletically.
Oden didn’t officially retire until 2016, but Oden only played two seasons with the Portland Trailblazers and one season for the Miami Heat in 2013 before never touching an NBA court again. Oden made his Big 3 league debut this year.
In the interview, Oden explains how he thought he’d be playing ball for a long time so the spending habits he adopted once he turned pro didn’t affect him as it should have. “[Retirement] happened so quick you need to be prepared for when the big checks actually do stop coming.”
Now with a Bachelor’s Degree and career, the 31-year-old does hope to get back into basketball, specifically on the coaching end but until then he will continue to consult athletes.