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.