A wave of recent rumors regarding Victor Oladipo's status for the upcoming restart of the NBA season have flooded the news cycle, as many wondered if the Indiana Pacers star, who is coming off a major injury, would take part in the resumption of 2019-20.
“He’s taking this time to staircase himself up physically, mentally,” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said in regards to Oladipo, per J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star Tribune.
“He’s been in here every morning. He’s the first one here. We have timed workouts and physically therapy and conditioning. Victor is here first and really doesn’t want to leave all day.”
Justin Holiday is the lone player besides Oladipo who appears to be on the fence about returning for the restart of the season, per Michael.
(Update: Holiday announced Tuesday in The Players' Tribune that he plans to play.)
‘Dipo only appeared in 13 games after returning from a quad injury, but was a shell of his old All-Star self upon a long layoff. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard promised to evaluate the injury risk of playing after such a long hiatus before making a decision.
“I feel a whole lot better … I know there’s risk going into it with the unique situation that I’m in — being off so long and trying to ramp it up that fast. I’ve just got to be smart, that’s all.”
Players have had their concerns about returning after what would be a five-month hiatus stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. That risk is even higher for players like Oladipo who are coming off major injuries, but even veterans like Holiday are second-guessing the potential risk.
The Pacers are not alone in this, as every NBA player must make a decision of his own and declare whether he will take part in the bubble. Indiana will need every bit of help to hang onto the fifth spot in the East or rise to the fourth position before the regular season ends.
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