VIDEO: Greg Oden scores 23 in Chinese debut

Greg Oden's debut with China's Jiangsu Dragons was far more prosperous than his first appearance on an NBA court in 2008, when he left the floor with a foot injury after 13 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The former 2007 first overall pick scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Jiangsu Dragons in a loss to the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association on Friday.

Oden signed a reported one-year, $1.2-million contract with the Dragons in August. He last played NBA ball during the 2013-14 season with the Miami Heat, averaging 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 23 games.

Considered one of the bigger draft busts in NBA history, Oden missed the entire 2007-08 season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. He would go under the knife on several occasions between 2009-2012, with the Portland Trail Blazers ultimately cutting ties with the 7-footer to create cap space.

"It's been a long process for me to come back, so I just don't want to overdo it to where it sets me back," Oden said when asked whether he had any lingering knee issues following the game.