Miami Heat player Greg Oden leaves police custody with GPS monitor after arrest
Miami Heat player Greg Oden walked out of the Marion County Community Corrections building Thursday evening with a GPS monitoring device on his ankle after his arrest earlier in the day on accusations he punched his former girlfriend in the face.
Oden, 26, was arrested after the 3:30 a.m. altercation in his mother's Lawrence home, according to a Lawrence Police Department report. An initial hearing is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Officers arrived at the home in the 7200 block of Maple Bluff Place to find Oden's 24-year-old former girlfriend crying and lying across a bed holding her face, police said. A woman described as her best friend told officers what happened.
"He punched her in the face," the best friend said, according to the report.
The former girlfriend initially was "uncooperative," police said.
The best friend, police said, told the woman, "There isn't that much love in the world. You need to tell that he punched you in the face."
Police saw blood, a swollen nose and cuts to the woman's face, according to the report. They also saw blood on the sofa, on the floor and on a living room carpet and dirt from a flower pot that was knocked over.
Oden's mother, Zoe Oden, answered the door at midday Thursday but declined to speak at length about the incident.
"That's Greg's thing, and I don't want to say anything about it," she said. "He's a good kid."
A neighbor echoed Zoe Oden's sentiment.
"Everybody makes mistakes," said Jermaine Holmes, 30. "You never put your hands on a woman that way, but he'll make it through this, hopefully. He's a good kid from a good family."
Oden, a 7-foot-tall, 270-pound center for the Heat, was "calm, apologetic and cooperative" when officers spoke with him, police said.
"I was wrong, and I know what has to happen," Oden told police, according to the report.
Oden told police he dated the woman for about two years but broke up about two months ago, according to the report.
The names of the girlfriend and her best friend were redacted in the copy of the police report given to the media. The best friend, 25, is from Oregon, the report said.
One of Oden's relatives at the home was awakened by an argument involving Oden and the woman, police said.
"The relative stated every time the two visit and go out, there is an argument to follow," the report said.
A Marion County Jail van drove Oden to the arrestee processing center.
He faces two preliminary charges of misdemeanor battery. He posted a $10,000 bond before he was sent to Marion County Community Corrections to get the GPS monitor, according to online court records. He was released shortly after 7 p.m.
A prep star at Lawrence North, Oden and teammate Mike Conley Jr. led the Wildcats to three successive state titles (2004-2006) and continued their success at Ohio State, where they led the Buckeyes to the national title game as freshmen.
After one year of college, Oden entered the NBA Draft and was the No. 1 overall selection by Portland, one pick ahead of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. Oden missed his entire rookie season following microfracture surgery on his right knee as missed time would soon become the theme of Oden's pro career. He managed to play 82 games over two years with the Blazers before missing three entire seasons to ongoing knee ailments (2011-13).
Oden made a comeback last season, signing a free agent deal with the Miami Heat. The reserve big man played just 23 times for the Heat though he started six games (one of which was against the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse).
In three total seasons, Oden averaged 8.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in his career.
Star reporter Justin L. Mack contributed to this article. Call Star reporter Bill McCleery at (317) 444-6083. Follow him on Twitter: @BillMcCleery01.
