Happy belated birthday Greg Oden. You turned 19-years-old Monday.

Upon your arrival in Columbus eight months ago, your college tenure was just thought to be a speed bump on your way to cementing your place alongside the NBA’s all-time great centers. Media experts compared you to the consummate winner Bill Russell, the statistically unchallenged Wilt Chamberlain and others.

Lofty comparisons for an 18- year-old with a bum right wrist.

But the city of Columbus embraced the comparisons, just hoping you’d consider a second year wearing scarlet and gray. Ohioans wanted to believe in Ohio State basketball after the success of coach Thad Matta’s first two seasons in charge. They wanted to believe a national championship in Columbus could come on the hardwood just as much as it could the football field.

And you know what? Facing those almost impossible expectations, you’ve done pretty well for yourself. Of course you missed the first seven games of the season recovering from surgery on that wrist, which you say is still not 100 percent, but so far so good.

Through 20 games you have OSU sitting fifth in the country and second in the Big Ten. The only losses you’ve suffered in your 13 games in the lineup have come against No. 1 Florida and Big Ten leader No. 3 Wisconsin.

Your 15 points per game put you top 10 in the conference, and your 10 rebounds per game are more than two rebounds better than second place. Of course those numbers are not official until you’ve played enough games to be eligible.

Not bad for the first two months. But let’s hold off the crowning of your place next in line to Russell, Chamberlain and others. And don’t take that as a knock on your game, just a testament to the all-time greats you’re compared.

At the University of San Francisco, Russell led the Dons (yes, USF’s mascot is the Don) to two NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, and averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. Russell was also the country’s best interior defender, and while blocks were not an official stat during this era, he was said to have blocked 13 shots in a single game. All the more remarkable when you consider Russell stood only six-foot-nine.

At the University of Kansas, Chamberlain guided the Jayhawks to the NCAA title game in 1957 and averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds per game in his two years.

Obviously the college game has changed a lot since these two goliaths roamed the lane. The introduction of the three-point line, the 35-second shot clock and varsity eligibility for freshman are just a few of the changes, but the staggering statistical and team success of Russell and Chamberlain is unrivaled, even by you, Greg.

And that’s not taking into account their success at the professional level, where Russell won a ridiculous 11 NBA titles with the Celtics and Chamberlain averaged 30 points and 22.9 rebounds per game, including his astonishing 50.4 point and 25.6 rebound campaign in 1961-62.

But don’t let that stop you Greg. You’ve got at least one-half of a college basketball season and your entire NBA career ahead to chase Russell and Chamberlain. With a right wrist at full strength maybe you’ll start putting up consistent 25-point and 15-rebound nights. You’re averaging 18 and 13.5 your last two games, both wins. Your fans and skeptics will take that.

We’ll just have to hold your place in pantheon of all-time greats for a few years until you have the wins and statistics to back it up.

Kevin Bruffy is a former Lantern sports editor who smiles every time he remembers Florida’s Joakim Noah’s stunned face after he unsuccessfully tried to dunk on Oden earlier this year. He can be reached at [email protected].