Greg Oden’s basketball career may be remembered for its “what ifs,” but his post-NBA journey has delivered stories that are nothing short of legendary. In a recent interview with HoopsHype, the former No. 1 overall pick shared a laugh-out-loud moment from his stint in the Chinese Basketball Association… one that involved an elevator, three startled women, and a case of mistaken identity that could only happen overseas.
Oden, who played for the Jiangsu Dragons during the 2015–16 season, recalled the moment.
“This one time I was getting off the elevator and I promise you these three grown women, the elevator opens, they look at me, scream in my face, and run back to their room,” he said. “And I went through every emotion I possibly could. I laughed. I got mad. I was like, ‘What? What just happened?’”
When he recounted the story to his teammates, their response left him in stitches.
“They look at me and go, ‘They thought you were Godzilla.’ So we all start cracking up,” Oden said.
Standing at 7 feet tall and weighing over 250 pounds, Oden’s imposing frame was certainly a rare sight in Nanjing, where he lived and played. While the moment was jarring at first, he took it in stride, embracing the cultural differences and the humor that came with them.
Oden’s time in China was filled with more than just viral anecdotes. He averaged 13.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 53.8% from the field in 25 appearances. Though his knees continued to limit his mobility, he described the experience as “awesome” and credited the opportunity with helping him rediscover his love for the game.
