Victor Oladipo was not mentioned as a potential No. 1 overall pick, but that does not mean that the Indiana guard is not highly coveted by NBA teams.
Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reported before the draft on Thursday that the Oklahoma City Thunder were pushing hard to trade with Orlando for the No. 2 overall pick so they could select Oladipo. Woj says they even attempted to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers but failed. Maybe they got the sense that the Magic wanted Oladipo and that they would have to jump ahead to No. 1 to get the IU guard.
Woj also reported that “everyone” in the lottery says “no one’s readiness for the NBA has impressed them more” than Indiana players Oladipo and Cody Zeller.
The chances of the Thunder pulling off a trade for Oladipo may be unlikely, but this is an important note. If a team really likes a player around draft time but is unable to select him, they may be inclined to trade for the player in the future.
Also, based on the draft success the Thunder have enjoyed, other teams should take note of which players they like. The Thunder drafted Kevin Durant in 2007; Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka in 2008; and James Harden in 2009. Keep in mind that Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden were considered gambles at the time.
If OKC really likes Oladipo, other teams should take the cue and lock in on him. I will add personally that I really liked Oladipo at Indiana and believe he is one of the top players in the draft. He is an above-average defender, good shooter, and he has excellent athleticism.
