New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Miami Heat center Greg Oden played his first meaningful basketball since 2009 on Wednesday night, returning to the floor in a 108-95 preseason win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
It's been 1,418 days since Oden, the former No. 1 overall pick by the Portland Trailblazers in 2007, appeared in an NBA game.
Oden underwent multiple knee surgeries, ending his career in Portland after just 82 games in two seasons. He spent all of 2012-13 rehabbing his knee and inked a two-year deal with the Heat this summer.
The former Ohio State product averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in two years with the Blazers.
Oden checked in at the 5:15 mark of the first quarter and on his first touch of the game, threw down a vicious dunk that drew applause from the crowd and a standing ovation from the Miami bench.
He finished with two points and two rebounds in just under four minutes of action.
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