Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden will likely miss the season after fracturing his left patella during a game against Houston on Saturday night.
Oden will undergo surgery, the Trail Blazers said.
The 7-foot center dropped to the floor clutching his left knee and grimacing after colliding with a driving Aaron Brooks midway through the first quarter.
Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft out of Ohio State, has been plagued by injuries for his entire NBA career.
The 7-footer missed his rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. Last season, Oden sat out six games after injuring his right foot in the season opener against the Lakers, then missed 14 games after the All-Star break with a bone chip in his left knee. He finished the season averaging 8.9 points and 7 rebounds.
Oden lost weight during the offseason and was averaging 11.7 points and 8.8 rebounds this season as a starter.
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