Victor Oladipo Enters The NBA Draft

On April 10, 2013, in Sporting News, by admin

Victor OladipoIndiana University Point Guard Victor Oladipo will skip his senior year in Bloomington to join the ranks of the NBA.  That really comes as no surprise to anyone who has followed college hoops this past year.

The timing of Oladipo’s declaration to go pro could not be better for the 6’5” shooting point guard.  At present there are not exactly a lot of high quality shooting point guards in the NBA today.  Kobe, Dwayne Wade, Harden and who else?  This means that Oladipo will be in the driver’s seat when it comes time to pick a team and negotiate a good contract.

IU head coach Tom Crean was sitting next to Victor Oladipo during the press conference at which he announced his planned move to the NBA.  Although he is originally from Hyattsville, Maryland, Oladipo has matured and developed as a player while at IU and told the press, “To be an Indiana Hoosier means so much to me, and I will always be an Indiana Hoosier.”

Originally recruited by Indiana as an athletic defender, Oladipo spent much of his freshman year in reserve and playing in only 32 games.  From the very beginning his greatest contributions came from his injections of high energy and his “highlight-reel athleticism”. Offensively Oadipo hit 46.8% of his three point shots last year and improved his free throw shooting to 75%.

Victor Oladipo is already ranked in the top ten of all of the major NBA draft predictions including CBS, Sports Illustrated, ESPN and Draft Express which currently has him rated at fifth in the nation. Some say that at “only” 6’5’ tall, he is a bit “undersized for the NBA.  However, his incredible “wingspan” quickly compensates for any lack of height.

His ever present, oppressive defensive play is where Oladipo really shines and what will make him a very attractive prospect to any NBA team.  He hassles offensive players, he is lurking in the passing lanes and his quick hands allow him to get deflections on a regular basis.

“Victor epitomizes, to me, what it means to be somebody who deserves to have those options,” IU coach Tom Crean said Tuesday afternoon. “I truly support what he’s doing, and there’s no question that he’s got the physical abilities, the mental capacity, maturity and focus, the emotional well being and spiritual background.”

 

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