Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo plans to make his season debut on Jan. 29 against the Chicago Bulls, according to Shams Charania of Stadium.

Oladipo suffered a torn quad tendon on his knee around this time last year during a Jan. 23 matchup against the Toronto Raptors. He underwent surgery five days later, facing a daunting recovery process for a long-term injury.

“January 29th. We play the Chicago Bulls on a Wednesday night,” the Pacers star told Charania, announcing the target date for his return. “That could change, that may not change. Who knows? But it's definitely good to have something to look forward to, especially after 12 months of wondering and hoping and not being sure of 12 months of the unknown. To finally have somewhat of a goal to look forward to is pretty astronomic for me in this process. I'm way stronger now than I was before, especially mentally. I just feel like nothing can faze me. I've been through the worst.”

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It will be more than a full year since the Pacers last had Oladipo lace them up. The 27-year-old had a tough second season with the team, facing the burdens of increased pressure after his All-Star season in 2017-18.

He averaged 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game through 36 games in 2018-19, but he now has a backcourt partner in Malcolm Brogdon who can take some of the scoring and playmaking duties and help him regroup with this roster.