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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Number one overall draft pick Greg Oden said on Thursday he was heartbroken about missing the entire NBA season because of injury but vowed to become the best benchwarmer possible.

"I'm going to try to go to every game that I can," the Portland Trail Blazers' center said. "I'm going to be on the bench. I'm going to do everything that I possibly can.

"I'm going to get water, get towels, talk to the guys on the bench, keep them in the game. Just try to be a great team mate. I want to be around the team as much as possible."

Injured Oden vows to become best benchwarmer

The 19-year-old Oden, who led Ohio State to the NCAA title game as a freshman last season, had surgery earlier this month to repair damaged cartilage in his right knee.

Losing the seven-foot (2.13-metre), 250-pound (113-kg) Oden is a huge blow for the Trail Blazers who were hoping to improve last season's dismal 32-50 record.

"I was just so excited," Oden told a teleconference. "I was just getting in really good shape and then this happens. It sucks because I was really ready to be out there on the court and show everybody what I can do."

Oden led the Buckeyes in scoring last season with a 15.7 average and had 25 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks against Florida in the national championship game.

He bristles at comparisons to center Sam Bowie, Portland's injury-prone number two overall draft pick in 1984 who never lived up to his hype coming out of the University of Kentucky.

"It's a little unfair because I haven't had a chance to prove myself," he said. "I'm motivated to come back for myself. I don't need other people to down me or tell me that I'm injury prone or that I'm not going to have a good career.

"I'm ready to play basketball. That's what I love to do. That's why the Blazers drafted me and that's why the city loves me."

Oden, who will need six months to rehabilitate the knee, said he would "learn the game" this season and "become more mature".

"I just have to do what I can to get my game better so when next year comes along I'll have that much more to my game," he said. "Until that time I'm going to be a great team mate and be a good person for this city."

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