LAS VEGAS -- Greg Oden shouts "take him," as he sprints down the court trying to help slow a fast break during a scrimmage. Later, Oden yells "pick, pick right," to a teammate.
A few possessions later, Oden attempts his version of Hakeem Olajuwon's "Dream Shake" move -- a series of shoulder fakes -- on the baseline before taking a jump hook shot.
The Trail Blazers' young center is rediscovering the joy of playing basketball, as was evident last week as he participated in USA Basketball's minicamp with 20 other rising NBA stars.
"I want to have fun this year," a smiling Oden said. "I'm going to try and enjoy playing."
Blazers center Greg Oden, practicing last week in Las Vegas, is ready to put his rocky rookie season behind him.
Oden, glad to have his rookie season behind him, is looking forward to the 2009-10 season. The injuries and inconsistent play of last season continue to fade. The moodiness that surfaced after listening to criticism throughout the season is giving way this summer to a happy, more relaxed Oden. "I saw some teeth. He looked a little bit more relaxed and was talking (on the court)," said Blazers coach Nate McMillan, after watching Oden practice. "He looked comfortable. He looked like he was having some fun.
"I think that's the key. That's the reason these guys took up this game. They loved it, enjoyed it and you should have fun playing it. You gotta put in the effort and the work, but you should enjoy it." One reason for the change in attitude is Oden's decision to toughen up mentally. Oden acknowledged last season wore him down psychologically the same way Shaquille O'Neal can wear him down physically on the court.
No more.
"I'm just going to go out there and play hard," Oden said. "Go out there, play my game and not worry about what everybody says -- not deal with all the ups and downs. Just go out there and have fun."
Oden said he's going to tune out the critics, the ones ready to give up on him and label him a bust after one NBA season.
"I'm just telling myself it doesn't matter what they think, what matters is what I think," Oden said. "I'm the one who has (to) go out there, and I'm the one who has to live with how I play. No one else."
Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard also noticed Oden's upbeat mood at the minicamp.
"I really liked his positive energy," Pritchard said. "He seemed like he was in good spirits."
Oden has spent most of the summer in Columbus, Ohio, where he has taken classes at Ohio State and worked out, mostly alone. Away from the spotlight in Portland, the time in the Midwest has helped him focus and work on his game. He is lifting weights to gain strength and running for conditioning.
Oden is healthy this summer, allowing him to work hard during the offseason for the first time since the Blazers drafted him in 2007.
"I run stairs instead of running on flat surfaces. It's easier on my knees," Oden said. "Probably about two or three times a week."
Oden said most of his individual on-court work is on offense, since it's hard to work on defense without someone to guard. That's why his jump hook and footwork looked more refined during the USA Basketball scrimmages.
"(The jump hook) is not new. It's always been there," Oden said. "I've been working on it a lot this summer. I'm more confident shooting it now."
Portland assistant coach Bill Bayno and former Blazers player Brian Grant have traveled separately to Ohio to work with Oden several times during the summer. Oden said Grant was helpful in providing a big body to guard and work against on offense.
"He's given me a lot of wisdom. He has played through it and been through everything in the league," Oden said of Grant, who played 12 seasons in the NBA, including three with the Blazers. "It's good to be able to talk to him also."
USA Basketball minicamp coach Jay Triano of the Toronto Raptors said he hadn't seen much of Oden during the league season but was impressed with Oden's presence, particularly on defense, during the minicamp.
"Just his physical presence defensively. I just thought he used his size and his brawn very effectively," Triano said. "We got 11 straight stops on one of the drills we were doing, and he was the anchor behind that."
Although the minicamp was just three days and some of the scrimmages during practice were limited to 10 minutes, the competition was intense. Oden found himself pushing against 7-footers Brook Lopez and JaVale McGee, in addition to exchanging elbows with power forwards Paul Millsap and Kevin Love.
"McGee, Lopez and Millsap are physical, but have different styles of play," McMillan said. "It was good to have (Oden) running out there with these guys. ... This is an opportunity for him to play and work on his game against some really good competition."
Oden understands his primary responsibilities with the Blazers are defense and rebounding. The Blazers have plenty of scorers, particularly with the addition last week of point guard Andre Miller, but Oden said he's comfortable in his role.
"I know my position and what I need to do in Portland," he said. "I know what I can do for (the Blazers) and I know what I'm capable of doing."
The Blazers want Oden to justify his selection as the first overall pick of the 2007 draft with a strong sophomore season. They know that even a little improvement from Oden could mean a lot more success next season.
"We know he has all the potential in the world now," McMillan said. "What he has to do is work on that and do the things that are necessary for him to come back better to help us improve. We feel like when we get him to that point, we're going to have a shot at winning a lot of games."
Oden, who is returning to Ohio after minicamp ends, said the offseason work and a having a year of NBA experience will help him progress toward being one of the league's best centers. Just as important as his development on the court is his evolving mental approach to the game off the court.
He plans to be a game-changer, and a happy one.
"I'm just going to play the best as I can and as hard as I can," Oden said. "I know I can have an impact on the game."
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