Oden, a 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) center,[1] played college basketball at Ohio State University for one season, during which the team was the Big Ten Conference regular season champion and Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament champion with Oden as the tournament MOP.

Additionally, Oden and the Buckeyes were the tournament runner-up in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.

On June 29, 2005, Oden and Lawrence North teammate Mike Conley Jr. announced that they would be attending Ohio State University starting with the 2006–07 season.

Oden had surgery on his right wrist on June 16, 2006, in Indianapolis to repair a ligament injury that occurred late in his senior high school season.

[10] As a result, he sat on the Ohio State bench during the beginning of the 2006–07 season, during which the Buckeyes were ranked as high as #1 before losing to North Carolina.

[12] On March 6, 2007, Oden was named First Team All-Big Ten as well being voted the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.

In the Sweet Sixteen, Oden blocked a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds against Tennessee to preserve an 85–84 victory and went on to lead Ohio State past Memphis and Georgetown to advance to the 2007 National Championship.

In the title game, Oden scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots in a losing effort against the Florida Gators.

Oden, alongside Kevin Durant, Arron Afflalo, Alando Tucker and Acie Law were named to the Associated Press All-American Team.

[17][18] Oden left his NBA debut with a foot injury after playing thirteen scoreless minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers.

[19] He returned on November 12, 2008, after missing two weeks, and scored his first NBA points in the first quarter against the Miami Heat.

[21] On November 17, 2010, the team announced that Oden would have microfracture surgery on his left knee, ending his 2010–11 season.

On December 9, 2011, the Trail Blazers announced that Oden had suffered an unspecified "setback" that left them less optimistic about his ability to play in the 2011–2012 season.

[25] On March 15, 2012, Oden was waived by the Trail Blazers to create room on the roster for trade acquisitions.

[34] On August 26, 2015, Oden signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association.

[39] Oden made his debut for Scarlet & Gray on July 27,[40] scoring 11 points in 16 minutes of playing time.

[41] Scarlet & Gray fell to Team Fredette on July 29, with Oden playing nine minutes while recording two points, an assist, and a block.

[45] In April 2022, Oden joined Thad Matta’s staff at Butler University as director of basketball operations.