Former IU basketball player Victor Olapido announced last week that he will not be suiting up for the Indiana Pacers when the NBA resumes play in Orlando, Florida, later this month.
Oladipo, who played for the Hoosiers from 2010-13, said the right leg injury he suffered last year and preparations for the 2020-21 season were factors in his decision.
“I really want to play, and as a competitor and teammate this is tearing me apart,” Oladipo said in an interview with The Athletic. “I feel like I’m at a great place in my rehab and getting closer and closer to 100%. With all the variables, from how I have to build my 5-on-5 workload back up, to the increased risk of a soft tissue injury which could delay my rehab, and the unknown exact set up of the bubble, I just can’t get my mind to being fully comfortable in playing. I have to be smart and this decision hasn’t been easy, but I truly believe continuing on the course I’m on and getting fully healthy for the 2020-21 season is the right decision for me.”
Oladipo ruptured a tendon in his right quad in January 2019 and was sidelined for more than a year as a result. After surgery and months of rehab, Oladipo made his return for the Pacers in late January.
This season, Oladipo appeared in 13 contests with 10 starts and averaged 13.8 points and three assists per game before the NBA season halted due to the coronavirus pandemic March 11.
After more than four months off, the season is scheduled to restart in late July, and the Pacers, who stand as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, will be without the two-time All-Star Oladipo.According to the article, sources said that Oladipo will still accompany the team to Florida.
Olapido's contract with the Pacers is set to expire after the 2020-21 season.
