Believe it or not, it has been four years since flat-topped big man Greg Ostertag last graced an NBA court. That's a long time to go with no Ostertag, and his presence has been missed throughout the league. Rather than clogging the paint, The Other Big O has just been Ostertagging it up while moonlighting as a hockey player, a game wholly unsuited for his 7-foot-2 frame. The man will do anything to stoke those competitive flames.
Thankfully for us, a four-year Ostertagian drought may be nearing its end. Sound the alarms. Ring the bells. Just celebrate, you guys, because Greg Ostertag is possibly coming back! Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News has the deets, which is short for details.
Greg Ostertag, the center from Duncanville who went to Kansas and spent most of his 11-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz, was working out with the Mavericks' Alexis Ajinca(notes) at American Airlines Center.
Ostertag won't be wearing a Mavericks' uniform, but he may be close to earning a spot as a player and/or assistant coach with the Texas Legends, who will play in Frisco as part of the NBA Development League. [...]
Legends co-owner Donnie Nelson said it's possible Ostertag will join the team. The likable big man averaged 4.6 points and 5.5 rebounds for his NBA career.
Asked if the Mavericks might have an interest in Ostertag, Nelson said that they already have four centers on the roster (Brendan Haywood(notes), Tyson Chandler(notes), Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi(notes)) and aren't looking to add more.
OK, fine — the D-League is no NBA, but it's darn close. Plus, if he dominates for the Legends as a player and/or coach, who isn't going to want a gigantic center with NBA Finals experience? Not to mention, he's still a year younger than Shaquille O'Neal(notes), who is 38. Plus, he'd totally be a Maverick if they didn't already have all those centers. As the saying goes, where there is smoke interest there is signing fire. Too bad about all those Mavericks though. Foiled again.
However, if the whole comeback thing ends up not panning out, at least Ostertag will be getting some good experience as a coach at a relatively young age. Not only would it be great to see Osterdawg in a suit on the bench as an assistant, if he puts his time in now there's no saying what the future may hold. Greg Ostertag as an NBA head coach isn't terribly far-fetched, but the possibility of that reality is positively mind-boggling.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba-268768
