My first day in New York was not a regular one. Most people do not have these crazy events happen to them that often. Well to start, I woke up this morning with an itchy throat and a runny nose. This came from me being perfectly fine on Sunday. So when I first got into New York I went to a hotel by the airport and had satellite interviews with PTI and Sportcenter. They were both really good interviews. I think PTI is always good because my head is back there somewhere (with the beard). After those interviews, I got to my hotel room but didn't get to rest because I had to do some media training. That stuff actually is really fun to do. I get to work with a great guy in Mr. Shenbaum (he was the band director in American Pie 2, the young one "Peety, this kid is killing me."). We do a lot of improv stuff. All of my interviews are off the top of my head but he helps me think quicker and not get stumped on questions. After media training, I went out to dinner with the little white guy, the really quick one and I think he told me he played soccer all summer. His name was something like STEVE NASH!!!! He is an amazing guy, very cool and down to earth. I was hoping to connect with him more but after being around him I realized he is way more mature than me. I didn't do anything childish, but he talked about his kids, wife, foundations and traveling all over the world. Stuff that I don't have or do. Dinner was still great though. We went to a Brazilian restaurant that was really good. I usually hate it when there is fruit with my meal but there was the orange slice that came with my meal and I just happened to try it in the middle of me chewing my other food and it was delicious. After we dropped STEVE NASH off, we went past ground zero and it is crazy how something like that happened when I was in the eighth grade and is still not built up. You drive up there and you see all these buildings and then there's this huge space. Thats all I can describe it as, space. There were construction gates up, but from the highway around it you can see somewhat into the hole in the ground.

I am officially a part of the Nike Family. It feels so good to have all of that taken care of. The deal is really good for a big man, the biggest rookie big man deal. I'm very proud of that, but to be honest I really just like their shoes. I played in Reeboks all through high school and I got a couple of pairs of Adidas this summer. I felt really good in my Lebrons that I played in for college. At first I thought that they were huge and heavy but as I got used to them they were really comfortable. So when I was in Portland on my workout, us and Nike really wanted to get this thing settled and done with. I signed a written and changed around draft of the contract and I didn't think things would be done until I signed the real one, but after I signed that it was like i was a part of the family that quick. My guy Charles got me a new carry on bag and some shoes the same day. It's like a weight off my shoulders, and to be a part of the Nike family with all the tradition, it's like a dream. I just want a commercial with "Little Penny" maybe they can call it "Little Oden" I would love it. I really want to make a funny commercial like "The Lebrons." Then hopefully I could win a whole bunch of championships and have those real serious ones like Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Besides commercials the one thing I get to do is when I go to Niketown anywhere if I call Charles he can get it set up so that I get a limit that I can spend there. I put that to good use today when I was in Seattle. I called all nervous, but he said no problem and called me back in 10 mins and said they are expecting me and that I am good. I had trouble finding stuff for me but every 3x T-Shirt and Short i found and put in my bag. I got my brother some shoes also just to be a good brother. The person who took advantage of it was my mom. I can't take her anywhere shopping. I had to drag her out the store and she still pulls stuff on her way out. It was a good day, the people at Niketown knew all about the deal so I told them I felt good being a part of the family. I signed a ball for them. I think they're going to put it somewhere in the store.

Some friends and I went to a Indiana Fever game a couple of days ago. It was a new experience for me because I have never been to one before and I was told they are very good this year. The Fever was playing Phoenix, it was a very exciting game. Our seats were on the floor at half court. I got to hear and see everything. The game was exciting but it got 10 x's better when Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi got very aggressive with each other. I got really into the game then. Those two are very good. Diana at the end of the game just couldnt miss and they pulled away with a victory. My friends had to hold me back cause i was so into it that i almost went out on the floor. I never had a thought about the WNBA before, except when Lisa Leslie dunked the ball, which is one of my favorite dunks of all time, but if they play like that i would love to go to the games all the time. Im not a fan of watching it on tv, but i dont watch even mens basketball on tv that much. I would definitely go to all home games that i can go to. I got the chance to meet the Seattle Storm and couple of the Fever girls a couple of nights ago. They were all cool as heck, it was my pleasure to be in the same room and just converse with those ladies, who are living out their dream doing what i hope to do next year, play professional basketball. I had a good time. Ron Artest was also there with his wife and i got to say hi to him, he is a nice guy. Here's a link to a photo of me at the game. http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l243/yardbarker/OdenWNBA-1.jpg

Bill Russell, Bill Walton, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Bob Lanier, Ive seen tapes of all these guys before my freshman year of high school. The tapes were to help me see how these guys played mostly offensively. It was crazy watching how good they were and that they did it against the best in the world. Instead of tapes, how about I get schooled by all of them. They sit us all in the same room and let me ask questions and they let me in on anything they think I should know. Well that happened Wednesday morning, it was one of the greatest things to happen to me. I learned so much. It's amazing to even think about what things they let me into as a big man going into my rookie year. I didn't think I was even suppose to be in the same room with those guys. I'm not even drafted yet and someone decided to put me in a room with them. I am really blessed. They video taped it so it was just for a show but I learned so much. It was like a class that I was very much interested in. I was quiet most of the time, and when I did talk they told me to speak up. They said that when all of them came into the league there were soft spoken but as you get older, your mouth gets bigger. They even joke around with each other a lot. So it was fun and informative. I heard some Bill Russell stories that made me go dang, I didn't know you did all that. The one point he really got across to me is no matter what I do have fun. As much as I love my fans, what I learned from them was you have to draw lines. Bill Russell said to me that someone once told him that's the price you pay for being an athlete and what he said to me was "who decided that". He also said that they are looking at me to be grown-up and professional because I'm so tall. No one really looks at me as a 19 year old kid, and no one has for a while now. He gave me so much knowledge. All of those guys are really great teachers and I learned so much. I'm so thankful to everyone involved and for making it happen. I'm not going to give out the secret to being a big man in the NBA, but I'm just letting anyone who reads this know that there is one and I know it ;-}.

I am staying in Carmel, Indiana, which is north of Indianapolis. In this area lots of people know high school basketball. When you ask someone about it, the first name that pops in their minds is not Greg Oden, Michael Conley Jr., or Eric Gordon. It's JOSH MCROBERTS, one of my favorite people in the world. He is one of the funniest people I have met, and the one person in high school basketball that I dreaded playing, because I had to guard him and he is a monster. He uses both hands on the court. That gives him an edge on everybody else. He was here for a day so I got to hang out with him. It was one of the greatest days. Him and a couple of his friends and I laid out at his pool, played horse in the pool, stayed in too long, hands got wrinkled and when we got tired of being in the pool his mom came and grilled some hamburgers and teriyaki chicken with macaroni salad and cookies. It was the BOMB! Then we just chilled later on with some of his friends from high school and it was cool. The next day he left for Chicago to work out. He is a great player and I hope him well this year in the draft. I hope they invite him to go to the draft cause he will probaly have me laughing the whole night. I don't want to brag, but we were on one of the best AAU teams ever with 1. Michael Conley Jr, 2. Eric Gordon, 3. Deaquan Cook, 4. Josh McRoberts, and 5. little ol me. We also had Aaron Pouge, Curtis White, Mark Titus, Reese Cheatem, and Devin Williams coming off the bench. Those years were fun.

It is the last week at The Ohio State University. It is finals week everybody is studying, trying to pass their classes. I am going to miss it so much, when September comes around next year I'll be in pre-season, and my peers will be meeting back up for another go around at this college thing. To be honest it is so much more than that. It's the place when you get fed up of being with your parents, you get to get away. It's not just the place where you recieve higher learning in school, it's where you become an adult . You get to see, do and learn things that you don't know about in high school. You meet new people everyday, people who may turn out to be life long friends. Even though I didn't live the normal college life most kids do, Ohio State is really more of a football school, which allowed me to be as normal as possible (that is until after the national championship). I will always be grateful to Columbus, OH and every Buckeye for that. I dont know when, but I will get my degree and be apart of this Buckeye Nation. I will work out with Coach Majors for the last time, have lunch with Coach Matta, and say goodbye to all my friends who are left in Columbus. I say all that's left because everyone else is ready to leave for summer but me. I'm wanting to stay for every last minute and enjoy this because you can't get it back. I'm about to be put in a man's world, letting go of that kid in me is hard.

Yesterday was my first day here in Orlando, at the NBA combine. There are a lot of good players out here. The hotel everyone is staying at is crazy big. I thought it was Disneyland when I saw it from the highway. It is very nice. I get lost just about everytime I step out my room. The crazy thing was when Michael Conley Jr. and I got here there was no one to tell us where to go. I guess now that I declared people are not gonna look after me, I'm supposed to be a man now. I gotta get use to that aspect. Today was my physical. I did much better than I thought I would in the shuttle run, 3/4 court sprint and the vertical jump. I could have done the bench press but I got a little nervous and got out of it. I don't think I was supposed to do it anyway, but there was no one to tell them. After the testing we had a light work out, which involved a lot of turn around, off the block jump shots, which was ok. I usually shoot hooks, but it's good to learn something new. At the end of the workout we had to shoot an NBA three-point shot. I definitely air-balled mine. Afterwards, I was just shooting around doing my best "Along Came Polly" impression of "letting in rain" and "iceman." I hit 2 in a row! Maybe I should say that everytime I shoot a NBA three-point shot....

This past week i was a traveling man, something i should get use to, I went to Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon. It was a good trip I had a lot of fun even though I didn't get a chance to ride New York New York in Vegas. In Vegas I was at the USA National Team Press conference. It was just Kevin Durant and I we were not there for very long but it was good. He and I are pretty cool even though I must say my suit looked GOOD!!!! There is no competition between me and him we just do what we do, which is breathe, eat, ball, go out, and sleep (in that order lol). I feel the comparisions between me and him are ridiculous we don't play the same position, we have two different styles and personalities, and grew up in two different places. I guess since we are looked at as the two best prospects in this years draft we will always be connected. Back to the press conference really it was nothing a couple of comments from Mr. Colangolo then Kevin and Myself which was 10 mins at most. Then we had individual interviews which are nothing but fun and i like to say the tv once no matter what i said it wouldn't matter cause that suit looked GOOD, as anyone can feel now i really liked that suit. After Vegas I went to Portland to meet with Nike. Nike is amazing I loved my trip, meeting with the people there who are very good people, made my week. The Campus was nice to, just kidding, it was so nice very big though. The second day I was there when i went through all the presentations was amazing i got chills watching the Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods commercials they made my mom cry, which isn't hard cause she is very emotional, i will not be suprise if she cried if i was drafted first. Back to Nike, the things they did for me was like a college visit you see on tv, with all the picture of me over the campus. I saw a guy with a Ohio State shirt and I got hype I was like thats amazing someone who loves Ohio State then once i saw 30 more people with the same shirt I was like hold up not all these people like Ohio State, but its ok. Commenting on the city of Portland it is very beautiful especially when the sun is out, I heard it rains just a little bit there lol naw a lot but while i was there it didn't rain that much. The trees and mountains were very nice its a place that when I get older I would love to raise a family there. An my last spot about Portland Fred Jones is a real cool person.

I was on the plane when it happened, but as soon as I landed I had 22 messages that all said "Portland 1 Seattle 2." It was a total shock to me not to be funny, but I forgot those two teams where even in the lottery. Every media news wants to know what I think but really I dont even know what to think. Im actually here in Portland right now visiting Nike and on the way here I saw mountains with snow on it, I thought to myself its May. No one knows for sure whats gonna happen but one things thats 99.9% sure, ill be in the west coast. I talked to Al Harrington from Golden State and he said its alot of fun with all the running that goes on in the west, so I should start getting in shape now. On the Lottery it was crazy but my life is about to be full of craziness compared to my teammates that are still at The Ohio State University so what a way to start it off!