Oden Picked for Rookie-Sophomore Game in 2009

Back in 2009 Greg Oden was picked to participate in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam, which took place on February 13, 2009. Also picked were Kevin Durant the forward from the Oklahoma City Thunders, the T-Mobile Rookie of the year at the time; guard Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls who was the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft; and Oden team-mate for the Portland Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez.

Broadcast nationally, the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam was aired on the TNT channel and was also broadcast over the radio on ESPN. NBA.com made a live audio available in a variety of languages in addition to English.

Partnering with the NBA and NBA Cares, T-Mobile created the special Challenge to be an “once-in-a-lifetime” chance for Phoenix students to experience NBA All-Star 2009. More than 3,500 students from participating Arizona school districts, ages 11-15, successfully completed fitness, nutrition and community service requirements and earned the ‘best seats in the house’ at the US Airways Arena from which to watch the Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam game.