Oladipo, who was once regarded as one of the NBA’s promising stars, could be considered one of the league’s biggest “what if” stories. Selected as the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, Oladipo’s career started on a high note. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his promising trajectory, affecting his overall impact on the league.

Despite battling several setbacks, including a significant knee injury, Oladipo continued to fight for a return to his elite form. He played his final season in 2023 with the Miami Heat alongside Jimmy Butler but was ultimately sidelined by another injury. The following season, unable to continue his playing career, Oladipo decided to retire.

After 11 seasons in the NBA, where he shared the court with some of the league’s biggest stars, Oladipo offered a surprising pick when asked about the greatest player of all time, snubbing LeBron and Jordan. Speaking on the Inner Court podcast, Oladipo declared that Stephen Curry is the GOAT. “I consider Steph the greatest of all time. And the reason behind that is that he was supposed to be playing golf. You look at him, and he was supposed to be playing golf, and now he’s out there hitting shots like that,“ Oladipo said.

Oladipo’s reasons for calling Curry the GOAT

Oladipo recently shared his thoughts on why he considers Curry to be the greatest of all time. As the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers, Curry has transformed the game, not only for the Golden State Warriors but also for the entire league. His ability to change the dynamics of scoring from beyond the arc has set new standards for players across the NBA.

Oladipo praised Curry’s impact on the game: “He’s completely changed the game. I saw him doing that, I had to guard him, and he’s really different. He’s changed the game so drastically that now players are shooting 50 threes a game. And that’s only because of him,” Oladipo remarked.

While Oladipo’s words resonated with some fans who agreed with his assessment of Curry as the GOAT, there are other factors to consider in the conversation, such as championships, total points, and other key statistics, in which LeBron has plenty of them.

Oladipo’s NBA career

With 11 years in the NBA, Oladipo has become a role model for shooting guards across multiple generations. Known for his work ethic and all-around game, he’s made significant contributions to every team he’s played for. His best years came with the Indiana Pacers, where he spent three seasons and earned two All-Star selections.

Over the course of his career, Oladipo has played for the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat. His standout season came in 2017-2018 when he averaged 23.1 points per game, earning a 13th-place finish in the MVP race, 15th in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and recognition as the NBA’s Most Improved Player. He was also named to the Third All-NBA Team that season.

This is a story where a kid from Maryland who grew up dreaming about becoming a basketball player in the National Basketball Association, and almost opted out of his life-long dreambecause he wasn’t a person anymore. Especially nowadays with all the pressure players have, at some point its understandable if a person has had enough of the pain.

This NBA-All Star player participated in the NBA All-Star Game twice, in 2018 and 2019. However, due to injuries, he had to sit out the entire game. So, after reading his story, maybe someone will understand him the next time he misses a free throw or an open shot.

NBA All-Star player reveals why basketball made him miserable

In the latest episode ofThe Old Man and The Three Podcast hosted by JJ Reddick andTommy Alter, the 30-year-old Victor Oladipo opened up about what he his thought process was in between recovering from injuries, and after a season-ending surgery in 2021.

“Waking up, it’s hard to take for first step, it’s hard to sit down and use the bathroom. But it’s a process, then you get into a car, it’s hard to sit in the car for more than 30 minutes with your knee back. Then after that, you fight back. They are telling you it’s going to take times, you’re eventually going to get there. It’s going to take time.Then, you come back, you figure out a way to make it work. You figure out ways to be effective. Then, it happens again.

“I was so low, I was in a really dark place. It’ll take you there, when the whole entire time you are thinking it’s you, but in reality, is because you was dealt a bad hand again.I was in a dark room by myself right before my birthday, I found out I had to do surgery again. Since my 29th birthday, sitting in a dark room. Really asking myself what’s going to happen next. I could retire and go do something else, I’m talented enough to go make some money doing something else. I was that low, I was thinking about every angle.”

Even so, some players have managed to establish themselves as starters regardless of where they play. They make too much money and are too good of a player not to be heavily involved in the team’s scheme.

But then again, this is a ruthless business, and anything can change in the blink of an eye. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three veteran stars whose days as a starter should come to an end this season.

NBA Rumors: 3 Former Stars Who Should Come Off The Bench In 2022

3. Mike Conley

Mike Conley is one of the most underrated players of all time. He’s a vocal leader, a floor general, and a guy who can successfully pull the strings of an offense while being a solid team defender as well.

But the Utah Jazz don’t need any of that right now. They need Collin Sexton to get as many shots and touches as he can handle, and there’s no point in Conley taking minutes away from Malik Beasley, either.

2. Victor Oladipo

Victor Oladipo is listed as the starting shooting guard for the Miami Heat, but that may not be their best option right now. He was quite solid on limited minutes, but he didn’t look all that wellnext to Jimmy Butler.

Moreover, having Oladipo come off the bench would give them a dynamic combo guard that could play on and off the ball and guard multiple positions. Also, that would allow Tyler Herro to become a starter and prove his worth once and for all.

1. Russell Westbrook

The Los Angeles Lakers now have Patrick Beverley, Dennis Schroder, Kendrick Nunn,Russell Westbrook, and Scottie Pippen Jr. on the same team, all while also having an elite playmaker in LeBron James.

The Lakers’ second unit is thin and unimpressive, and they don’t need another ball-dominant player in their starting lineup. So, the only way the Westbrook experiment works in L.A. is by having himcome off the bench instead.

Injuries, poor coaching, off-court controversies, and constant trade rumors doomed the Lakers’ season. James’ MVP-caliber numbers went to waste as they couldn’t even reach the play-in tournament.

The Lakers fired Frank Vogel,and Anthony Davis is expected to be back to full strength. Nonetheless, their limited salary cap makes a roster overhaul unlikely and tough. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three players they could realistically target in free agency.

NBA Rumors: 3 Realistic Free Agency Targets For The Los Angeles Lakers

3. Victor Oladipo

Victor Oladipo won’t return to the Miami Heat. He was quite solid in limited game action, but he’s coming off multiple major injuries, so his free agency value is as low as it’ll ever be. He would be wise to take a short-term, prove-it kind of deal to drive his value up.

Oladipo was one of the best two-way players in the league when he played for the Pacers. He could look to prove his worth as their Sixth Man and could join the big list of former All-Stars who teamed up with LeBron to thrive in the playoffs.

2. Donte DiVincenzo

Donte DiVincenzo is the jack of all trades. He can play on and off the ball, start or come off the bench, pull up, catch and shoot, or drive to the rim. He’s athletic, intelligent, and a better on-ball defender than people give him credit for.

But coming off a big injury, he may not get the deal he could’ve gotten. He needs to prove his value again. Even with Austin Reeves and Talen Horton-Tucker, he could play big minutes and be an offensive upgrade, not to mention Darvin Ham coached him in Milwaukee.

1. Thomas Bryant

Thomas Bryant was playing the best basketball of his career before suffering a knee injury. He was dominating both sides of the glass and even expanded his offensive game to become a legit three-point shooter.

Daniel Gafford and Kristaps Porzingis will play most of the minutes at the five in Washington, so he might as well look to take his talents elsewhere. While not an elite rim protector, he’d give them the physical presence down low they lacked throughout the whole season.

Jason Kidd proved the doubters wrong. The Mavs’ defense was elite for most of the season, and they even made it to the Western Conference Finals despite not having a legit second star on their team.

Needless to say, Doncic can’t win on his own, as great as he is. No one can. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three free agents the Mavs should consider signing this summer to come back stronger next season.

NBA Rumors: 3 Free Agents Dallas Mavericks Should Sign To Help Luka Doncic

3. Victor Oladipo

Victor Oladipo has barely seen the floor despite being healthy since mid-season. It’s either a matter of fit or personal preference, but it doesn’t seem like Erik Spoelstra is ever going to be willing to give him a long leash.

With his time with the Miami Heat all but over, Oladipo should look to sign a short-term deal to drive his market value up again. He’s been quite efficient in limited minutes, can play on and off the ball, startor come off the bench, and plays solid defense.

2. Dennis Schroder

Jalen Brunson is going to demand a big payday in the summer, and the Mavs may have no choice but to let him go. Spencer Dinwiddie could shift to the starting unit, but they’d still have a glaring hole at the backup PG position.

That’s where Dennis Schroder could come in handily. He’d provide them a scoring punch off the bench and solid playmaking. Moreover, he could even take Dinwiddie’s starting job if he plays well enough, so what more incentive does he need?

1. Mitchell Robinson

Brunson has been linked with a move to the New York Knicks, and Mitchell Robinson is reportedly on his way out of The Big Apple. So, both teams could work out a sign-and-trade to sendthe big man to Dallas.

When healthy, Robinson is one of the best rim protectors in the league, and his offense has also improved over the years. He needs to avoid foul trouble and injuries will always be a risk with him, but the Mavs are craving an interior presence,and he’d come at a fair price.

The guard has dealt with constant injuries throughout his career and the last few years have been especially difficult for him. Oladipo missed a bit more than a year of action after suffering a quadriceps tendon injury in his right knee in December 2019.

Even after that, the Indiana Pacers offered him a four-year, $112 million contract, which he turned down to get traded to the Houston Rockets, who eventually sent him to the Miami Heat in the 2020-21 trade deadline. His time in South Florida didn’t begin well but he is determined to turn the page.

Victor Oladipo aims to comeback stronger with the Miami Heat

Only four games into his life as a Heat player, Oladipo reinjured the quadriceps tendon to undergoseason-ending surgery. Afew months later, he re-signed with the franchise for a one-year, veteran minimum deal worth nearly $2.4m.

The last two seasons haven’t been easy for the guard, who feels like this will just make him stronger for what’s ahead of him.“It’s been really tough,”· he said, per Miami Herald‘s Barry Jackson.

“This is another battle in the books for me. I want to show my resiliency and have one of the best comeback stories ever. I want to make the most of my situation. It’s easy to quit and say ‘woe is me,’ but that doesn’t solve the problem. I know there are a lot of eyes watching. Hopefully, I can be a vessel for them and show them they can get through anything if they really put their mind to it.”

Oladipo’s optimistic perspective is a really good signal for a Heat that willalso be aiming to have a comeback season following a frustrating exit in the last campaign’s playoffs at the hands of the eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks.

“I don’t know what our team would have done with a healthy version of me because I wasn’t given that opportunity; I was dealt a bad hand,” Oladipo said. “I feel there’s unfinished business here. I feel like I came here for a reason and there’s a purpose for me being here and I’m trying to find out what that is. I believe it’s a good one. I believe we can do something very special here for years to come and I want to be a part of it.”

He may have turned down a lucrative offer from the Indiana Pacers and ended up signing for a veteran minimum contract in Miami, but at the end of the day, Oladipo was willing to resign to loads of money just to go to a title-contending team. And that’s what he expects to be part of this season once he gets back on the court.

And, even though injuries always seemed to get the best of him, Oladipo had clearly outgrown his small-market teams and was ready to take a step forward. That’s why he continued to bet on himself over the years.

But, what happens when betting on yourself backfires mightily? (We’re looking right at you, Dennis Schroder). In the following paragraphs, we’re going to explain to you how Oladipo managed to become the biggest loser of free agency.

This Is How Victor Oladipo Lost Nearly $110 Million

Even after suffering multiple injuries and constant setbacks, the Indiana Pacers still saw Victor Oladipo as their franchise cornerstone. They wanted to keep him around for the long run and offered him a 4-year, $112 million contract.

Oladipo didn’t think the Pacers were ready to make a championship push right away, so he gently declined their offer. Eventually, he was sent to the Houston Rockets as a part of the James Harden trade.

The Rockets were reluctant to enter rebuild mode at first and wanted to try and compete with the hand they were dealt. So, they offered Oladipo a 2-year, $45 million contract extension, which he also turned down.

Houston traded Oladipo to the Miami Heat for Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley, and a pick to avoid losing him for nothing. But once again, injuries caught up with him and he was only able to play 4 games at South Beach.

Fast-forward to free agency and Oladipo had to settle for a one-year, veteran minimum deal worth nearly $2.4 million to go back to the Heat next season. And that, my friends, is why you should never turn down $112 million.

Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra have done an outstanding job of putting together a competitive team that meshes around perfectly. They feature nothing but hard-working team players that are willing to put their bodies on the line on every single possession.

Nonetheless, it was clear that they also needed another All-Star caliber player to lean on when things get hard, and they’ve been linked with almost every available star in the league since the start of the season.

NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat Will Land Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo, Or LaMarcus Aldridge

Now, Matt Moore ofAction Network reported that Pat Riley is working around the clock to bring not one but two All-Stars to South Beach, from a shortlist that includes Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo, and LaMarcus Aldridge:

“More than one league source has said they believe the Heat will end up with Lowry and Aldridge OR Oladipo and Aldridge (Oladio reported today by Woj). Just a growing sense among teams not involved directly in those talks,” Moore said.

It’s not a secret that Lowry has been on the trade block for the past couple of months and his 3-and-D expertise would be a massive upgrade for the Heat. Aldridge isn’t going to play for the Spurs anymore so they could even wait for him after a buyout.

As for Oladipo, he’s a lock to be moved after declining a contract extension from the Houston Rockets, but the tricky part with him will be convincing him of staying with the team far beyond this season.

Whatever is the case, it seems like good-old Pat Riley is ready to be as aggressive as ever and land another star to help Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo put together another run at the NBA Finals.

For months, there’s been speculation regarding the Warriors’ desire to keep prized rookie James Wiseman past the deadline. He’s kind of struggled during his rookie season but flashes unlimited upside as a two-way big man.

And now that they continue to slide in the standings and they’re exploring some of the available talents, it seems like they would have to, at least; consider moving him if they’re serious about landing Houston Rockets’Victor Oladipo.

NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Want James Wiseman Or A Top Pick For Victor Oladipo

“The Rockets would want one of the Warriors’ top assets, the 2021 pick from Minnesota or [James] Wiseman, both of which are conversation-enders for Golden State,”said Connor Letourneau of NBC Sports.

Oladipo was one of the best two-way players in the league two seasons ago but he’s struggled with multiple injuries. Also, he’s on an expiring contract and they wouldn’t want to trade away a high pick or James Wiseman just to watch him walk away.

Then again, the clock continues to tick and the Warriors are aware that they need to make some moves if they don’t want to miss the playoffs again this season. That means they may have to cave into Houston’s demands.

Thus far, the rookie out of Memphis is averaging 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game on 52% shooting and 36.7% from three. The future is clearly bright for him and he’s shown glimpses of great playmaking, but he’s quite raw and maybe the Warriors can’t afford to wait and develop him as their core continues to age.

Oladipo has struggled with injuries throughout his career but when healthy, he’s proven to be a two-way stud capable of leading a team to a playoff berth. Then again, they’re still some pieces away from being a legit contender.

That’s why some people believe that the Rockets could look to move Oladipo before the deadline if they don’t get it together soon enough, especially with him set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Nuggets, Heat, Celtics Could Pursue Victor Oladipo

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer recently brought to light the fact that there were plenty of teams interested in adding Oladipo before he landed in Houston, with the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics leading the race:

“As I reported last week, Victor Oladipo, an impending free agent, has eyes for Miami. Could the Heat, or another team looking to contend—such as the Nuggets or Celtics—try to acquire him?” O’Connor started.

He added that the Denver Nuggets could be quite aggressive in their pursuit of another star for their backcourt, with Oladipo being a more realistic target than Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal:

“Beal could eventually become available if the Wizards keep dropping games. Could Denver build an offer around Michael Porter Jr.? Another option might be Victor Oladipo, if Houston wanted to flip him. No matter the case, the Nuggets should be active in seeking upgrades. Nikola Jokic is having an MVP campaign, but he’s carrying a more massive load than any other season of his career. Jamal Murray has been as frustratingly inconsistent as he was pre-bubble, so finding a more consistent backcourt presence would go a long way in helping them both,” O’Connor concluded.

Obviously, there are a lot of ‘Ifs’ here and Oladipo has yet to prove that he can stay healthy and go back to his All-Star level. But given his upside and the Nuggets’ needs, he’d definitely be a major pickup for them.

The Pacers parted ways with Victor Oladipo, one player that gave this team hope to be competitive and until he suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee, was one of the most promising players in the NBA.

Dipo repeatedly said he wanted to win and it would have been better if he could have done it in Indiana, but he seemed less and less interested in continuing with the team from last season. Victor was reportedly interested in a trade and the Pacers granted his wish on Wednesday.

Malcolm Brogdon says the Pacers won’t be hurt without Victor Oladipo

Oladipo is now part of Houston Rockets, replacing James Harden as the starting shooting guard of the team. He was great in Indy but the team doesn’t feel like they will miss Oladipo that much. At least that’s what Malcolm Brogdon believes.

The point guard had nothing but good things to say about his former teammate but he made it clear that the Pacers will be fine without Dipo, as the team can overcome this loss and keep playing good basketball.

“This is a steady team,” Brogdon stated, via Pacers insider Scott Agness. “This is a mature, becoming a veteran group that’s been together for a while. We lost a very good player, but this team is gonna continue to play good ball.”

They confirmed they will be good without the 2018 Most Improved Player with a huge win over the Portland Trail Blazers, which helped Brogdon confirm his point. That was all the proof they needed to convince the rest of the league and themselves that they can compete.

“We handled a really good team tonight, on the road,” Brogdon said. “This was a statement win for us and now we have to build on it.”

Having players like Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, who is having a tremendous season, and Myles Turner, this team can make a lot of noise in the East. They’re often overlooked but the Indiana Pacers can actually compete, even more, when they have TJ Warren back on the lineup.