Benn Hodapp: Greg OdenThis is one of those LeBron or Carmelo type arguments, except this one can actually be debated. Anyone who still thinks that Melo should have been taken first, please wear a brightly colored helmet so I know who you are.

If I had the first pick, I would take Greg Oden. The numbers right now don’t stack up; Kevin Durant wins by a landslide if you look at just the numbers. However, you have to look at Oden as a project.

In as few as three years, I think Oden could be the most dominant inside presence since Shaq. Understand that I said dominant, not skilled. Shaq is about as skilled as a stonemason with no arms. Oden reminds me of the film I have seen of Bill Russell. Will he be as good as Russell? Almost assuredly not, but he is a guy you can build a dynasty around.

The race for first pick is between Memphis (12-36) and Boston (12-34), at least as far as number of ping pong balls goes. Depending on who gets the pick, I think it could go either way.

If Boston gets the pick, I would go with Oden without question. The big man that super-stud Paul Pierce has always wanted/needed will roll into town and pay immediate dividends. Pierce will still be young enough next season (30) to have seven or eight years left of good productivity.

Assuming the team is in the lottery mix for the next few years, the Celtics could stockpile an incredible load of talent. With Pierce, Oden and the emerging Al Jefferson, that team is primed for serious title contention in a few years.

If I were Memphis, I would take Durant, as long as the team locked up Pau Gasol and didn’t let him go. Durant is ridiculous. He can play the one, two or three, he can score from deep and put up silly offensive numbers. He would make for a great fit alongside Gasol.

That’s what I would do. But then again, the NBA will probably just rig the lottery again so the Knicks win it like they did when Ewing came out of Georgetown. Knowing Isaiah, he would probably draft Oden and trade him to someone for two selfish shooting guards. It’s what he does.

Mario Martin: Kevin Durant

Who would you take with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, Kevin Durant or Greg Oden? Choosing between these two phenomenal freshmen is like choosing what topping you want on your sundae. It’s comparable to Brad Pitt’s dilemma of Angelina or Jennifer.

You really can’t make a wrong choice.

In Oden, you get a seven-foot monster who loves to bang down low and is physically and mentally wise beyond his years.

Oden, who is averaging 15 and nine with 3.5 blocks a game, is an endangered species. Not since David Robinson has anyone seen a true center who commands attention in the post, blocks shots, rebounds on offense and defense and can hit the 10 to 15 foot jumper.

Oden will probably be taken with the No. 1 overall pick, but this is why I think Durant is the more special player:

In Durant you get a six-foot-nine, 225-pound, teenage superstar who covets the ball in the clutch and seems to be getting better by the hour.

Durant exploded onto the national college hoops scene in November by averaging more than 22 points, nine rebounds and nearly three blocks per game in his first month of collegiate competition.

But then you throw in that he made 45 percent of the 35 threes he attempted in that span, and he took most of the big shots for his team. superstar-in-the-making. You can call it what you want to call it, but this kid is flat-out special.

Durant’s extraordinary opening to a likely-short NCAA career may have introduced him to America. But his play in the last month has left no doubt in most minds that he is a man among boys, and is as ready as anybody has ever been to play in the NBA.

Since the start of Big 12 play on Jan. 6 Durant has shredded conference opponents, scoring more than 30 points and 13 rebounds a game.

Oden will likely go first because he is a rare commodity and everyone outside of Miami is desperate for a player that even resembles a center. But I would be hard-pressed to pass on a kid who appears to contain that Jordanesque ability to take over a game and be most brilliant with the game on the line.

To quote ESPN’s Dick Vitale “It’s Durant, It’s Durant, It’s Durant.”

Sean Wolf: Greg Oden

Kevin Durant or Greg Oden? This is a very hard decision that could impact your franchise for many years down the road.

Just who is the better player out of the two, and who will be the better player in the NBA?

Many general managers in the NBA are asking themselves the exact same question.

Would you take Oden, a 7-foot center who’s averaging 15.2 points per game, .9 assists per game and 9.5 rebounds per game or a 6-foot-9-inch forward/guard who’s averaging 25 points per game, 1.6 assists per game and 11.6 rebounds per game?

If you looked at those stats and haven’t been following college basketball, you would probably say you would take Durant by a landslide. In all three of the statistics Durant is clearly having the better season.

If you were to ask me who I would take, I would say Oden with no hesitation at all. Oden has a 3 -inch height advantage and also weighs 55 pounds more than Durant.

Also, Oden has been playing with a bad right wrist for most of the season. He had surgery on it June 16, which cost him the first seven games of the year.

He is still not 100 percent yet. With all this said, Oden’s shooting percentage is still better than Durant’s.

Oden is shooting 63 percent from the field, while Durant is only shooting 49 percent. Oden’s injury has made him a more improved player.

Oden has developed a nice left hand and now is a more complete player. Oden’s upside is much higher, a characteristic that many GMs value highly in their draft selection process.

When all is said and done, honestly, either one of these players could go as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

They are both amazing players and have different assets to their game. What it might come down to in the draft is who needs a center (Oden) and who needs a forward (Durant).

As of right now, it is looking like the Boston Celtics are the front-runners for the pick for the time being, but only time will tell.