PORTLAND, Ore. — Greg Oden sits in the middle of the storm, just waiting, waiting for a chance to be healthy, to show what he feels he still can do.

The 2006 Indianapolis Star Indiana Mr. Basketball out of Lawrence North High School and 2007 No. 1 NBA draft pick out of Ohio State is currently sidelined with his second knee injury.

This one came when he banged knees with Corey Maggette on Feb. 12.

Oden missed what would have been his rookie season after surgery on his right knee and missed six games early this season with a foot injury.

Around him, speculation and commentary swirl, and the opinion here seems to be less than favorable.

A local columnist recently questioned if Oden was even trying to play.

One newspaper beat writer earlier in the year said he was “sick of Greg Oden.”

Sports talk shows and message boards are filled with comments comparing him to Sam Bowie, the center the Blazers drafted ahead of Michael Jordan whose career was derailed by injuries.

When and if Oden is going to be healthy has become a national story.

He addressed his situation at length Wednesday night before the Blazers played the Pacers.

Question: So how tough is this with everyone talking whether you’re ever going to be able to play?

Answer: It sucks. I want to be out there and just play. I feel better and more comfortable with myself when I’m out there playing and not really worrying about injuries and rehab and all that stuff and hearing people’s mouth about, ‘Oh, he’s injury prone.’ Like this isn’t an injury game. Like things don’t happen. You’d rather be out there playing where you don’t have to worry about people’s mouths.

Q: Reading the Internet and listening to the radio here, people are saying those things, that you’re injury prone, that you may be a bust. How do you handle that?

A: I don’t listen to it. I know everybody is out there just talking. I feel it. I try to just keep it out of my head and not just worry about it.

Q: Ever looked at your body and just thought, what the heck? Why does this keep happening?

A: No. This injury, a guy ran into my knee. Nothing you can do about that, and this (right) one is perfectly fine. I have no problems with the one I had surgery on. This (latest) one just happened. If somebody else was in the game at the same spot, it would have happened.

Q: How tired are you of hearing the name Sam Bowie?

A: I don’t listen to that. I really don’t. I just try not read the papers or watch what people say on TV because it is very frustrating, so I try to keep that out my mind.

Q: Do you feel the city of Portland still wants you?

A: I know this team does, the organization does. Everybody else, I don’t worry about that. We worry about our family right here (in the locker room). I know I got their back and I know they’re behind me.

Q: Are you still 100 percent confident that at some point in the future, whether it’s two weeks, two months or the start of next year, that you’ll be healthy enough to be the Greg of old?

A: I would like that. I really have had no problems until a guy ran into my knee. That was just unfortunate. I’m just waiting until I get to the point can play and do certain movements where it’s not painful on my knee. I’m hoping any day now I go out there and do certain things, and there’s no pain. That’s when I’m ready to go out on the court.