Victor Oladipo said earlier this month that he was likely going to sit out the resumed NBA season in Orlando out of fear of suffering an injury, but the Indiana Pacers star has had a change of heart.
Oladipo has been taking part in scrimmages in Orlando with the Pacers, and a report on Monday indicated there is optimism he will play when the regular season resumes on July 30. After practice on Wednesday, Oladipo confirmed there is a good chance he will play.
“My body is feeling good,” Oladipo said, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “It was hard for me to assess where I was at … with Corona and all of that, I couldn’t really control it. There’s a possibility I could play.”
Oladipo took things a step further and said there is a “strong possibility” he will be on the court if his body continues to respond well to workouts.
Oladipo missed a full year after suffering a ruptured quad in January 2019 and was just starting to get back into the swing of things before the season was postponed. In 13 games this year, the star guard has averaged 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Oladipo played in just 36 games last year before suffering the torn quad. He admitted that he was not back to full strength yet before the season was shut down.
The Pacers have a chance to make a playoff run, as they are 39-26 and currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Having a healthy Oladipo in the lineup could make them a sleeper in Orlando.
