2-time NBA All-Star joins ESPN as analyst

Aug 12, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo before a NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

At just 32 years old, one former NBA All-Star is moving onto a new chapter.

Ex-NBA guard Victor Oladipo made his debut for ESPN on Wednesday. Oladipo has joined the network as an analyst and appeared on an episode of their daily basketball TV show “NBA Today.”

Victor Oladipo joins ESPN as an analyst pic.twitter.com/xCi9TpEr38

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 9, 2024

Oladipo was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and went on to become a two-time All-Star, a one-time All-NBA selection, a one-time All-Defensive Teamer as well as the NBA’s Most Improved Player (all with the Indiana Pacers). He also suited up for the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat during his 10-year NBA run.

But Oladipo’s peak lasted much shorter than it could have thanks to a litany of injuries. The problems began in early 2019 with a ruptured right quad tendon, and Oladipo never appeared in more than 42 games in a season again. Oladipo most recently played for the Heat from 2021-23 and was an effective bench cog. But he suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during a 2023 playoff game and had to sit out of the entire 2023-24 NBA season as a result.

Now a free agent, Oladipo might not be back in the league again from here either and hinted at retirement earlier this year in a cryptic online message. While his new gig with ESPN may not preclude him from attempting an NBA comeback, it might be a sign that Oladipo is starting to explore life outside of being a player.