Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo underwent surgery on his quadriceps in May and there's still no clear timetable for his return. However, he is traveling with the team for the first time on their current road trip. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra revealed why that's such an important step in Oladipo's recovery.
Via Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald:
“It’s a big step,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Monday’s contest. “It’s not about a step of when he’ll be back. It’s more about just the emotional and mental boost for him. He has been doing all this work behind the scenes, at the arena while we’ve been on the road. And we’ve been on the road virtually the entire season. So he hasn’t been with us for a large part of it.”
Oladipo is evidently working hard to get back on the court and the Heat believe he can be a key piece for them after they handed him a one-year, $2.7 million deal this past offseason. Spoelstra certainly has a point, too. While his physical state is extremely important, it's about getting his mind right and just being around teammates again and feeling like you're part of the group.
Oladipo's career has been hit hard with injuries across the last few seasons, playing just 33 games in 2020/21 between the Heat and Houston Rockets. Before the current campaign started, Miami was hopeful he could be back in action in March. That remains to be seen, but it's just refreshing to see his face around the team again.
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