At 20 years old and with his NBA rookie season about to begin, Josh McRoberts, the former Carmel star's life hasn't changed much from his high school days.

He hasn't jumped into the lifestyle of a pro basketball player. He doesn't even have a car yet, although he bought a white BMW for his mother, Jennifer.

Early this week, McRoberts will be heading to Portland, Ore., to find a place to live and get ready for the NBA season. He also would like to get a place in Carmel and live there during the summer.

He will find a familiar face in Portland, No. 1 draft pick and Lawrence North graduate Greg Oden, with whom he played on the powerhouse Spiece Indy Heat summer team. McRoberts calls Oden one of his best friends, and the two will be part of a young team to be unveiled Oct. 10 for the Trail Blazers' first preseason game.

"It's exciting I'm going to be with a good group of guys," McRoberts said. "We've got a really young team, so it's kind of a different feel. It's almost like a college team. Everybody's still old enough to be in college. It's interesting."

The 6-10, 240-pound forward has met many of his new teammates, having played with the Trail Blazers' summer league squad in July.