Victor Oladipo Emerging as Bona Fide Star Since 2015 NBA All-Star Break
Throughout an Orlando Magic season that's been characterized by transition and uncertainty, this much has become clear: Victor Oladipo is steadily working his way toward superstardom.
Between head coach Jacque Vaughn receiving walking papers and a general lack of progress on both ends of the floor, the search for silver linings has spanned seemingly every crevice of Orlando's roster.
Nikola Vucevic has been sensational, sure. But with Tobias Harris set to enter restricted free agency and rookies Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon lagging behind, consistent offerings have been few and far between.
Which leads us to Oladipo, who's been regularly overshadowed since the start of his rookie season.
Last year, it was all about Michael Carter-Williams and Giannis Antetokounmpo. One was packing box score columns in an environment conducive to inflated statistical output, and the other was a physical marvel the likes of which we hadn't seen at 19 years old.
So that left Oladipo—the player considered safest by scouts—to toil away in one of the league's smallest markets.
"Many NBA scouts regard Oladipo as a 'safe' pick, someone whose ceiling on offense doesn’t match [Ben] McLemore’s but will work and work and work until he maximizes his potential," the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins wrote shortly after the 2013 draft.
But if Oladipo's play of late has been any indication, that ceiling is ready to be shattered.
On the whole, the former No. 2 overall pick has avoided bouts of sophomore regression. Oladipo's scoring average is up nearly four points over last season, with his shooting splits indicative of increased comfort as a primary perimeter option.
For a little more context, get this: Oladipo is one of seven guards averaging at least 17 points on at least 45 percent shooting, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
The other six are as follows:
- Stephen Curry
- Chris Paul
- Kyrie Irving
- Klay Thompson
- Eric Bledsoe
- Dwyane Wade
And although he's transitioned from playing point guard to shooting guard just one season in, the adjustment hasn't been accompanied by many noticeable hitches.
His post-All-Star production is all the evidence we need.
Since play got back underway Feb. 19, Oladipo's been scoring like a maniac. Over his last seven games before Sunday, the former Indiana Hoosier was averaging 23.1 points on 51.2 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent shooting from three.
Those numbers stack up quite nicely against established superstars in that span.
| Russell Westbrook | 34.9 | 44.3 | 30.3 |
| LeBron James | 26.1 | 48.3 | 35.8 |
| James Harden | 25.6 | 39.9 | 36.2 |
| Stephen Curry | 25.1 | 50.8 | 52.1 |
| Chris Paul | 24.1 | 54.1 | 36.7 |
| Rudy Gay | 23.6 | 48.5 | 44.1 |
| Victor Oladipo | 23.1 | 51.2 | 35.7 |
Not bad company, right?
Breaking it down further, Oladipo's been otherworldly over the past seven days. In fact, only Russell Westbrook has scored at a higher clip.
The 22-year-old has dropped an average of 30.3 points dating back to Feb. 28, a tally fueled by 38- and 32-point outings against the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings, respectively.
That uptick in potency can be traced directly to Oladipo's shot selection.
Possessing blinding speed and a muscular frame, Oladipo has made a more concerted effort to get to the rim while simultaneously reducing the rate at which he's launched threes.
Oladipo has also shed a handful of mid-range attempts, with the most noticeable drop coming between 16 feet and the three-point line.
By phasing out less-efficient shots and leaning on high-percentage looks, Oladipo's wedged his way into more efficient territory. Among shooting guards, he ranks No. 13 overall in player efficiency rating—ahead of Manu Ginobili, Wesley Matthews and DeMar DeRozan.
And while he's attempting threes at a slightly lower clip, they're starting to fall with increasing regularity.
As defenders have schemed to prevent him from putting the ball on the floor and romping toward the rim, Oladipo has developed a more aggressive attitude from distance.
"Teams keep going under on me," Oladipo said, according to Robbins. "I've just got to shoot it with confidence."
When those looks are there, Oladipo is starting to take advantage. According to NBA.com, a majority of his three-point attempts have been designated as "open," with the closest defender four-to-six feet away. Under those circumstances, Oladipo's drilling 39.5 percent of his long-range shots.
"He's a competitive, tough kid," interim head coach James Borrego said, per Robbins. "He's got a lot of pride, and we need more of that from him. For this group to have success at a consistent level, he's got to bring that every night. He's one of those guys in the midst of chaos that can help us. He can settle the group. He can get us a big bucket."
So ignore the absence of pomp and circumstance. Oladipo's all substance with a sprinkling of style, and that's what has made him the most consistent product the 2013 draft class has had to offer.
Already grasping subtle nuances and shouldering larger responsibilities without sacrificing efficiency, the seemingly safe pick is quickly morphing into a versatile star playing well beyond his scouting report.
And that's not just a reason for optimism—it's a cause for celebration.
All statistics current as of March 8 and retrieved from Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless noted otherwise.
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