In an instant, the fire in Greg Oden's eyes was gone. As he was taken from the Rose Garden floor on a stretcher, defeat was written all over the 7-foot center's face.

Oden broke his left kneecap in the Trail Blazers' game Saturday night against the Houston Rockets and is out for the season.

It is the latest injury to befall the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007, who some have compared to Sam Bowie, the often-injured big man the Blazers selected ahead of Michael Jordan in the 1984 draft.

Brandon Roy said that Oden apologized and bowed his head as he was wheeled off the court. Once he learned his diagnosis, Oden told his teammates in the locker room he was sorry he let them down.

"He didn't do anything," forward LaMarcus Aldridge protested. "People don't understand that injuries are part of the game. We all are at risk every time we play so I think injuries are going to happen. It's unfortunate that it's happened to him."

Oden underwent surgery on his left patella Sunday, and the Blazers confirmed what they feared all along _ that Oden was done for the season.

"I'm obviously disappointed having worked so hard to get to where I was. This is a setback but I'll be back. It's in God's hands now," Oden said in a statement released by the team. "I want to thank the fans, my teammates and everyone in the Blazers family for all of their good thoughts."

Oden, drafted ahead of Kevin Durant, has been plagued by injures his entire NBA career.

He missed rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. Then last season he sat out six games after injuring his right foot in the season opener against the Lakers, before missing 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.

But this season Oden lost weight and was averaging 11.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as a starter. Along with improved numbers in all the major statistical categories, Oden had a renewed confidence that was seldom evident in his delayed rookie season, when he admitted the pressure of being a top draft pick got to him.

"He did all the things he needed to do this summer to get himself ready for this year. He came back and showed the potential we felt he had," coach Nate McMillan said.

The Blazers have not historically had the best of luck with their high-profile big men.

Bowie is considered one of the biggest busts in draft history, fairly or unfairly. The Blazers took the 7-1 center with the No. 2 overall pick instead of Jordan.