Victor Oladipo has had a storied career of ups and downs. From his rise to stardom and All-Star selections with the Indiana Pacers to the tough injuries he’s suffered throughout his career, Oladipo has seen a lot.
Despite the multiple injuries to Oladipo over the years, he maintains that he is still looking for his next shot in the NBA, a sign that he is far from retired and not ready to walk away from the game of basketball.
Victor Oladipo Says He’s Not Retired
Following in the footsteps of many NBA players past and present, Oladipo debuted his new podcast, “The Inner Court,” alongside music executive Nieman Johnson.
On the first episode of the podcast, Oladipo made it clear that he was not retiring from the NBA despite any outside chatter. He fully intends to come back to the league at some point.
“I’m not retiring. It’s just not what I’m doing right now… I got a ton left in the tank… I’m training, rehabbing, every day.”
Oladipo, who is a two-time NBA All-Star, boasts career averages of 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. His last active season in the NBA was the 2022-2023 season as he played a solid role off the bench for the Miami Heat, appearing in 42 games.
Unfortunately, Oladipo hasn’t played in more than 50 games in a season since he played in 75 in his best season with Indiana in 2017-2018, but he remains eager to try to get back on the court.
Where Would Oladipo Land in a Return to the NBA?
With Oladipo’s injury history, any return to the NBA would likely be in a limited bench role, but as evidenced by his time in Miami, he can still score when you need him to.
Where would Oladipo land if he made a return to the NBA? What teams could use a bench scorer for limited windows of time?
There’s always a chance Oladipo finds his way back to the Orlando Magic, the team he began his career with. The Boston Celtics might be interested in having him score off the bench, and there’s always a chance that you see other contending teams in need of bench help look his way, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Still, it will be a tough climb back for Oladipo due to his injury history. Regardless of where he goes if his comeback is completed, you have to respect his determination and persistence to never give up.
