They say that for every right there is a wrong, for every pro a con, so that must be reciprocated... right? Right! Although Oden and Conley were only in the NCAA long enough to give us a simple glimpse of what could have been, there was definitely a positive side to Oden going to college... for Conley. Let's face it. Oden was already the number one overall pick before he even set foot on the court for the Buckeyes. Conley, on the other hand, would have been a mid-second round pick at best had he bypassed Ohio State for the NBA.
Conley's year at Ohio St., with Oden's ever-lingering presence being known, helped him show off his quickness and passing ability. With a dominate big man in the post, although he wasn't much of a scorer, there was much less attention being payed to Conley and the rest of the team than there would have been otherwise. When you have a beast like Oden in the paint, that frees up the entire team. Jump-shooters will have more room to fire, point guards will have more room to penetrate and kick out, and a simple pump-fake while your man runs at you from Oden can send the defender into the stands. Conley broke the freshman Big Ten record for assists per game and assists in a season because of Oden's presence. This greatly raised Conley's stock, draft pick chosen, and his pay. What else could a guy ask for?
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