Oden travels, trying to make most of lost year

0 Comments | USA TODAY, November, 2007 | by David DuPree

Greg Oden, sidelined for the season after Sept.13 knee surgery, accompanied the Portland Trail Blazers on their four-game road trip and shared some early season views as an NBA observer:

On why he went on the trip: "Just so I could be with the team and see everything that is going on, so next year I won't be a rookie in terms of what to expect. I'm just learning that we have to be places 15 minutes early. We can't eat first. We have to make sure we sit in our right seats, and we have to pick up laundry, stuff like that."

On watching games from the bench: "I'm scouting. Coach (Nate McMillan) tells me what to look for during games, like how certain guys control the paint or get into position for offensive rebounds, and then we talk about it afterwards. I wish I...