After being away from the NBA for a bit thanks to an injury, Victor Oladipo is now playing in the G League. Known for his tenacious and game-changing defense, he is the exact kind of player the Sacramento Kings need. Now, they just have to go get him.
Oladipo was the second pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. After a solid few seasons in the league, Victor finally found his groove in 2018 when he was named the Most Improved Player in the NBA. That's also when he really started to establish his defensive identity.
His impressive prowess on defense goes back to his time playing ball in college. Oladipo was named the NABC co-Defensive Player of the Year, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and a two-time member of the Big Ten All-Defensive team. That's the talent that got him drafted.
In 2018, Oladipo was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team as well as being the league's steals leader. On top of that, 2018 was the first of two consecutive seasons that he was an All-Star. That's the long way of saying that prime Victor Oladipo was a defensive powerhouse.
The Kings should put Victor Oladipo to work
In April 2023, he suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee that cost him significant time on the court and resulted in him bouncing around the league a bit before ending up in China. Now, Victor is back on the court in the US as a member of the G League on the Wisconsin Herd.
Naturally, the Kings are probably not looking to add yet another 10+ year veteran to their roster. The club has plenty. At the same time, Oladipo fits their defensive direction well. He could be an excellent guiding force for young players on the Kings, showing them how defense in the NBA is done.
Plus, he's already proved he still has plenty of tread left on the tires. As a member of the Guangzhou Loong Lions, Oladipo faced both the Spurs and the Clippers in preseason play. He showed that old defensive magic once again while scoring incredibly well in both outings.
Signing Oladipo is not going to turn the Kings into contenders immediately. What bringing him on board will do is put Sacramento on that defensively minded path they want to be on. He is a step in the right direction and someone who could play a big part in the organization.