Back in June, I mentioned that former Basketbawful mascot Greg Ostertag was alive and jonesing to play in the NBA again. Well, as a great many of you have pointed out via comments and e-mails, the first phase or Project Comeback is complete. Thanks to the Portland Trail Blazers:
Greg Ostertag is looking to make a return to the NBA.But wait, there's more.
The former Jazz center, who retired from the game three years ago, was invited to work out for the Trail Blazers last week.
"I just miss it," Ostertag told the Journal-World.
"Watching the playoffs last year got me excited. My wife said, 'Why not go try it again?' One day I said, 'What the heck. I'll get in shape and get back on the court and give it a try.'
"I've got nothing to lose."
Portland is the only team that has entertained the idea of giving Ostertag a shot.
"I did all right. I'm rusty. I'd not picked up a ball seriously in three years," added Ostertag. "I have some cobwebs. The more I play, the quicker I'll get it back. Now I'm trying to get in good shape and get stronger. The basketball will come."
"Size, blocking shots and putbacks, setting screens, not letting anybody get easy layups," Ostertag said of what he can bring to the table. "Nobody ever put the ball in my hand and said, 'Go to work,'" Ostertag said of scoring.My gut instinct is to say it's never gonna happen. But as someone recently said: limits, like fears, are often an illusion. So, personally speaking, my fingers are crossed. And now Greg Oden has to worry about a second white stiff stealing his PT.
Ostertag, who made $48,251,390 during his days in the NBA, isn't money-motivated right now. He's been frugal with his earnings and is set for life financially.
"The more I get into it, the more I want to play," Ostertag said. "I've been working hard since June to get weight off to where I can be productive. I'm in the mode I don't want to work this hard for nothing. I want to get my feet planted somewhere, get in veterans camp, and in the preseason maybe somebody will like what they see."
Chris Emens, senior director of Octagon Basketball, an agency that represents Ostertag, believes his client can be an asset to the Blazers or any other NBA team.
"Greg brings interior defense, rebounding, shot-blocking, playoff and championship-game experience and most importantly for teams in contention, he knows how to win," Emens said.
Most NBA teams are expected to carry just 13 or 14 players this season because of budgetary concerns, instead of the maximum-allotted number of 15.
"It depends if somebody has room," Ostertag said. "I'm not asking for 30 minutes, but give me a chance to compete for playing time, that's all.
"If I don't make an NBA roster, I'll go back to what I was doing -- hunting, golfing, fishing," added Ostertag, who isn't interested in playing in Europe or the NBA Developmental League.
Labels: Greg Ostertag, improbable comebacks
33 Comments:
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That said I could kinda see Ostertag being moderately effective as 6 fouls off the bench with no more than 2 or 3 minutes of PT per game if only because he is a genuine 7 feet, near 300 pounds and not much worse than the third string centers other teams throw out there.
http://www.loadedorygun.net/showDiary.do?diaryId=1559
http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2009/09/jr-rider-attempting-a-comeback/
Oh, nevermind...
Only 2 of 6 posters were even able to spell his name right.
And he was a stiff...until since two years ago, with two solid seasons of near-Rodman-esque rebounding performance (21.0 TRB% and 22.8 TRB%)
(Word verification: vagges)
Shoot me now!
Get back in the grave!
"Przybilla's a stiff now?"
Now and forever.
"Stats beg to differ:"
So much for stats.
"I will give Ostertag one thing though. He had a better career than Montross."
Did he? Well, did he, so much so that it deserves any note?
What Ostertag really did better than Montross was be fortunate enough to stand on the court with Stockton and Malone in the same uniform and manage not to fall into the side of either one of those guys knees.
Kudos to him!
...I'll actually be up for watching it, for the comedy value.
I WOULD say "watch him lead the purple paupers to another lottery pick!" but Ostertag, IIRC, has never missed the playoffs at any point in his strange career in the Association.
I recall an interview after his last game where he was very proud that he never had a losing season. The Jazz went 42-40 in 2003-04 and 41-41 in 2005-06, missing the playoffs both years.
Tag was in Sacramento in 2004-05 when the Jazz went 26-56.
He wants to play for Dallas. I suppose he's an upgrade over Erick Dampier
he already plays like one (don't believe me... compare Oden to mark eaton)
Enough said.
And will Oden ever do anything as awesome as this?!