When Victor Oladipo was traded to the Miami Heat, the expectation for him was to contribute right away. With his knack to create shots on his own and provide credible defense on the other end of the court, the shooting guard was supposed to help his new team compete against the top squads in the East from the get-go. Unfortunately, his right quadriceps tendon got injured and limited him to only four games for the Heat last season. In turn, Oladipo's rookie cards took a deeper hit after becoming one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
But after several seasons of battling various injuries, Oladipo has finally returned to active duty. While the former All-Star still needs to shake the rust off and get used to the pace, flashes of his upside can be seen in the limited minutes he played. We take a look below at how these Victor Oladipo rookie cards stand to benefit from his return and why he's a guy to keep an eye on as the postseason approaches.
Victor Oladipo's return
It has been so long since Oladipo made his presence felt in the league. After being drafted by the Orlando Magic in 2013 and spending his first three seasons there, the shooting guard was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and further developed with Russell Westbrook in the lineup.
As fate would have it, Paul George wanted out and demanded a trade from the Indiana Pacers. This would be the catalyst for OKC to send Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to Indiana in exchange for the All-Star wing during the 2017-18 season. And from there, Oladipo broke out and surprised everyone with how good he became.
That same season, the shooting guard notched 23.1 points on 47% shooting efficiency from the field, 37% from beyond the perimeter, and 80% from the free throw line. He also posted 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and a league-leading 2.4 steals per game during that year. His incredible development helped the Pacers finish fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 record.
But it's not just the Pacers who have noticed Oladipo's progress. For the first time in his career, the guard was named as a reserve for the 2018 All-Star Game. At the same time, he also bagged the league's Most Improved Player award. Plus, he pushed LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round of the playoffs then until Indiana lost the decisive Game 7.
Unfortunately, that was the last full year Oladipo played. While he would still put up respectable numbers, the shooting guard didn't play more than 36 games in a season. He would then be traded to the Houston Rockets after three seasons with the Pacers, and sent to the Heat shortly after.
During his short stint in Miami last season, Oladipo averaged 12 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals in 27.8 minutes for four games. In his first match back against the Rockets, the former All-Star notched 11 points, 4 assists, and a single rebound in 15 minutes from the bench.
His return is both crucial to the Heat and Oladipo's future in the NBA. His ceiling in Miami is similar to his All-Star season with the Pacers – a solid two-way player manning the backcourt with Kyle Lowry who can create shots and plays for others while providing quality stops on the defensive end. If Oladipo manages to stay healthy for the remainder of the season and the playoffs, there's a pretty good chance his rookie cards will bounce back.
The state of Victor Oladipo rookie cards
Oladipo's stock in the card market hasn't been relevant for quite some time. Nevertheless, it's currently showing signs of life after his first game for the Heat.
In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, Oladipo's PSA 10 Prizm rookie card has gone up during the said period. From $30, it slightly went up to $35 for a 16.67% increase. This occurred over 22 confirmed sales.
The data above shows that Oladipo's definitive Prizm rookie card is just within reach for most collectors and it's even cheaper than PSA 10 slabs of most young stars today. As it turns out, the Heat's newly-returned All-Star can be a good buy-low candidate for collectors in the market.
The verdict on Victor Oladipo rookie cards
As mentioned above, those Victor Oladipo rookie cards out there are significantly cheaper than a lot of promising young stars today. Sure, these slabs aren't at the level of Luka Doncic or Ja Morant cards but the Heat's shooting guard and his value can go toe-to-toe with those of Tyler Herro or Darius Garland's stock in the market.
But of course, his future in the hobby hinges largely on his ability to stay healthy. If Oladipo gets to do that, the touches and minutes will be there to help him get his numbers back up.
Playing for the Heat also gives Oladipo's stock a better chance of bouncing back. The Heat are currently on top of the East, can be considered a lock for a playoff spot, and a strong contender to, at least, make the Conference Finals. And with a cast consisting of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro, Oladipo will get to play with a competitive squad that has what it takes to go far in the postseason.
Meanwhile, the key for collectors is to score those Oladipo PSA 10 Prizms lower than the market price. If the shooting guard disappoints, it won't be much of a loss. If he exceeds expectations, there'll be a lot of room for his value to grow. In any case, it pays to keep a close eye on Oladipo as the regular season is about to end in the coming weeks.
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