Tom Strattman / AP

Greg Oden led Ohio State to the NCAA championship game last season and was one of two freshmen All-Americans — the other being Texas star Kevin Durant.

Relegating Durant to the No. 2 spot in the draft has absolutely nothing to do with an inability to bench press 185 pounds during testing in Orlando earlier this month. The smear campaign launched by talking heads — especially of the radio ilk — following those drills and tests was ridiculous and pathetic.

Durant’s body will catch up with the NBA. The muscle will come. He reminds me of Donyell Marshall when he entered the league out of UConn. Durant is younger and once he is exposed to the kind of training program he needs, he will erase the doubts about being an incomplete player.

Watching Durant utilize his athleticism and length, while admiring his sweet jump shot and quick release are qualities best experienced in person. Durant will fill seats wherever he plays. He will be a community icon with tons of endorsements. If that locale is Seattle, he might become the franchise savior, the guy who keeps the Sonics in town — rather than packing their bags for Kansas City or Oklahoma City.

Here is where history meets the present. It won’t be long before Durant’s name is listed along with the other great wing players in the NBA, guys such as Vince Carter, Ray Allen, Michael Redd, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady. All were among the top 17 scorers in the NBA last season, averaging at least 22.4 points a game.

None were able to carry his team to a championship. James got Cleveland to the NBA Finals, but without an inside force to match Duncan the Cavaliers couldn’t handle the Spurs. Kobe Bryant, the league’s leading scorer with a 31.6 average, can work individual miracles on a nightly basis but the Lakers are little better than average since O’Neal left Los Angeles. Now Bryant wants to be traded.

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On the other hand, Oden can walk into Portland, join Aldridge, Roy, Zach Randolph and Jarrett Jack and turn the Trail Blazers into a contender.

And that's why Greg Oden will — and should be — the No. 1 pick in the draft.

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