Indianapolis Star Indiana Mr. Basketball Greg Oden will not play for the Indiana All-Stars.

Greg Oden, the 7-foot senior and two-time national high school Player of the Year from Lawrence North, on Tuesday was ruled out of the annual home-and-home series against Kentucky because of a torn ligament in his right wrist.

"My wrist isn't ready yet," Greg Oden said by telephone from the All-Stars' training camp in Greencastle. "I'm extremely disappointed, but I have to take care of myself and my body for the long run."

Greg Oden initially injured his wrist during the high school sectional tournament in early March but persevered to help the Wildcats win a third consecutive Class 4A state championship; he totaled 26 points and 11 rebounds in an 80-56 victory over Muncie Central in the March 26 title game.

He then played in two national all-star games, the McDonald's All-American Game on March 29 in San Diego and the Roundball Classic on April 9 in Chicago.

"I've known I had a torn ligament since right after the Roundball Classic," Greg Oden said. "After that, it was in a splint for two weeks, and I was hoping that I would be back (for the Indiana All-Star events)."

Another visit to the doctor and follow-up MRI on Tuesday showed the injury had not healed. Greg Oden said he was not given a timetable for returning to action.

Despite his inability to play, Greg Oden plans on attending both games against Kentucky and two of the three exhibitions against the Junior All-Stars, including today's tuneup at Forest Park High School. He will not be at Tuesday's exhibition in Valparaiso because he begins summer school at Ohio State on Monday and has an early class two days after that.

Greg Oden's high school and Ohio State teammate Mike Conley also is enrolled in summer-school classes that begin Monday, but Conley is expected to play in all the All-Star events, game director Pat Aikman said.

A Mr. Basketball's absence from All-Star action because of injury is not unprecedented. In 1970, Carmel's David Shepherd missed the opener at Louisville with a knee injury. He shot just two free throws (making both) in the second game in Indianapolis.

"Everyone was looking forward to playing with Greg, but they're more disappointed for Greg than they are to not play with him," All-Star coach Chris Benedict of Columbia City said of the team's reaction to the news. "It's an unfortunate situation that he can't control. He's a good, humble kid."

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