Patryk Stachowiak
Victor Oladipo hasn’t played an NBA minute since April 2023 but his latest showing in Las Vegas suggests that narrative could be changing.
2023/24United States
Boston Celtics
Dallas MavericksAccording to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, the former All-Star guard delivered a strong performance in a private workout held Monday, attracting a sizable audience of NBA and European scouts. “Multiple attendees came away impressed,” Woo reported, highlighting that Oladipo looked “in excellent shape” during full-court five-on-five action alongside international professionals.
Scouts Watching Closely
The workout wasn’t just routine it was a litmus test. Representatives from both NBA franchises and high-level European clubs were in attendance, keen to assess whether the 33-year-old guard still has the explosiveness and defensive grit that once made him a premier two-way player. And the early verdict? Promising.
Oladipo’s display offered glimpses of his old self: high motor, smooth shooting mechanics, and vocal leadership on the court. If team executives were looking for a spark of the 2018 version of Oladipo, they might’ve seen enough to keep the door open.
From All-Star to Journeyman
The No. 2 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Oladipo rose to stardom with the Indiana Pacers, earning back-to-back All-Star selections in 2018 and 2019. That breakout campaign in 2018 also earned him the NBA Most Improved Player award, a spot on the All-NBA third team, and All-Defensive first-team honors punctuated by a league-best steals average.
But injuries took their toll. Since tearing his patellar tendon in a 2023 playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks while playing for the Miami Heat, Oladipo has been on the move. He was traded multiple times Heat to Thunder, Thunder to Rockets, Rockets to Grizzlies and was eventually waived by Memphis in February 2024 without logging a single game for them.
Is There One More Chapter?
Despite the setbacks, optimism is quietly building. Woo noted a league-wide sentiment that Oladipo might just claw his way back into an NBA roster, especially as teams finalize their depth charts ahead of training camp this fall. While the road won’t be easy his long injury history looms large his Vegas performance could serve as the crucial step in a comeback narrative that’s far from over.
For teams seeking backcourt toughness, veteran presence, and a dash of defensive savvy, Oladipo might just be the low-risk, high-upside signing worth betting on.