Greg Oden Talks About Knee Surgery

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Top NBA draft pick Greg Oden doesn’t remember much from immediately after knee surgery. He was with his mother at home when he found out how serious it was.

“I kinda looked at my mom and said, ‘I’m out for the season? You kidding me?’ ” he said.

Oden will be on crutches for six more weeks. Full recovery likely will take six to 12 months. He has started swimming, and a machine gently bends his knee for six hours a day.

Oden was at the Trail Blazers’ practice facility on Thursday on crutches and with his surgically repaired left knee wrapped in ice.

Except for a videotaped blog entry, it was the 7-footer’s first public appearance since undergoing microfracture surgery on Sept. 13.