Victor Oladipo‘s first return to an NBA court since 2023 probably wasn’t exactly what he had in mind.
But if his goal was to prove he still belongs after two-and-a-half years away, the 33-year-old opened some eyes on Monday evening.
Playing for the Loong Lions, a Chinese professional team, Oladipo posted 20 points, five rebounds, five steals, three assists and a block in a preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Highlights of Oladipo’s evening are below.
Victor Oladipo tonight:
20 Points
5 Rebounds
5 Steals
3 Assists
1 BlockLEAGUE HIM 🔥
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 7, 2025
For the third time in just over four years Oladipo suffered a major knee injury in April of 2023. He has not played in the NBA since. He held workouts in front of NBA personnel this summer, and this is his latest opportunity to convince the league he’s back.
Oladipo and the Lions are also going to play Thursday at the L.A. Clippers, and next Monday at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame last year, Oladipo reached the pinnacle of his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers, when he was named an NBA All-Star twice in 2018 and 2019. He has played in 504 games in the league over 10 seasons and has a career average of 16.9 points per game.
The latest injury involved Oladipo’s left knee, while his prior history of major issues related to his right. His prolonged absence has led to widespread speculation his playing days are over. But obviously he has other ideas.
Now 33, Oladipo had a harsh run of bad luck after becoming one of the game’s best. He missed 255 of a possible 374 games from when he initially was hurt while playing for Indiana in 2019 until his 2023 injury.
Oladipo became IU Basketball’s first National Player of the Year in 20 years when he earned the honor from the Sporting News following a remarkable junior season in 2012-13. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.2 steals during that season while leading IU to its first Big Ten championship in 11 seasons and its first No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed in two decades.
In addition to his National Player of the Year honor, Oladipo was also named co-National Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus First-Team All-American. Following his junior season Oladipo departed for the NBA, where he was the second overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2013 NBA Draft.
He’s played 11 years in the NBA with five different franchises. His best season to date was in 2017-18, when he averaged 23.1 points per game for the Indiana Pacers and was named Third-Team All-NBA, First-Team All-Defense, and won the league’s Most Improved Player award.
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