Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) team Jiangsu Dragons has released former Miami Heat center Greg Oden as the league's regular season nears its end.

The American Oden, who stands 7 feet tall, appeared in 25 games for the Chinese professional team, having an average of 13.0 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 26.3 minutes of action per game. He reportedly signed a one-year deal with the ballclub in late August last year with a value of $1.2 million.

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"In the CBA, where American players are expected to put up monster numbers every night, this simply isn't enough to keep a front office happy, especially when a cheaper Chinese big man could put up similar stats," Andrew Crawford wrote on One World Sports.

Jiangsu Dragons currently sit at the ninth and tenth place of the team standing sharing the spot with Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons with 18 wins and 18 loses apiece.

He played college basketball at Ohio State University in the NCAA Men's Division I for one season.

Oden, 28, was the 2007 NBA draft No. 1 overall pick selected by the Portland Trail Blazers. Although he was signed and guaranteed a contract, Oden underwent microfracture surgery on his ailing right knee and missed the entire season.

He returned to the hardcourt and played his professional debut game on July 2008 but suffered a foot injury and forced him to leave the game after playing 13 scoreless minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers. Oden registered his first NBA points in the first quarter of their game against the Miami Heat when he returned back from injury on November 12, 2008.

Due to series of injuries the big man has endured, the expected performance from him was never completely done into actions. The Trail Blazer waived Oden on March 15, 2012 to create room on the team's roster for trade acquisitions.

The Miami Heat acquired the services of the former Buckeyes hotshot on August 2013 by signing him a one-year contract.

TagsNBA, cba, Greg Oden, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazer