With a month to go until a full year of absence, Oladipo finally made a comeback. In today's Heat's 123-106 win over the Rockets, Oladipo made his season debut. He played 14 minutes off the bench and shot 4-of-7, including 2-of-3 from three-point range and 1-of-2 from the free throw line, with 11 points and four assists. Oladipo's comeback has aroused the dusty memories of many fans, and he can also sincerely say: "Just come back!" ”
Oladipo's last appearance in the NBA was in the Heat's game against the Lakers on April 9, 2021. He started 25 minutes and had 18 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals on 5-of-8 shooting. After that, Oladipo underwent right quadriceps tendon repair surgery and was reimbursed for the season. At that time, the fans all lamented the fate of Oladipo, and Oladipo did not expect this injury, and it was another 11 months.
There are a lot of talent in the NBA who have been ruined by injuries, and fans don't want to see Oladipo be next. In the second quarter of the second quarter, when Oladipodi fired a corner cannon at 7 minutes and 31 seconds, he scored his first sports goal in 333 days, and the whole game turned into a sea of joy. The Rockets called a timeout at the right time, and Oladipo was also heroically congratulated on the game. In addition, Oladipo's defense in this field is still faintly visible in the past, and he has also made many offensive fouls.
After winning the game, the Heat continued to take the top spot in the East Side with 44 wins and 22 losses, leaving the second place 76ers with three wins. The extent to which Oladipo can recover next also determines the fate of the Heat this season, and even the pattern of the East Side playoffs, to some extent.
Looking back, Oladipo has walked an extraordinary path paved with flowers and thorns.
Born on May 4, 1992, in Maryland, Oladipo was the only boy in a family of four children. His father, Christopher, a Nigerian immigrant, was a public health executive in Prince George County, Maryland, and earned a doctorate in behavioral sciences from the University of Maryland; his mother, Joan-Amanze, was a nurse. The couple married in 1985 and moved to the United States.
In his early years, Oladipo attended DeMarsha High School in Maryland. In his senior season, Oladipo averaged 11.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game, led the team to 32 wins and 4 losses, won the WCAC (Washington Catholic Sports League) championship, and was selected by the Washington Post as the best team in the 2010 WCAC League. In addition, he was named a three-star high school student, ranked 144th among the Class of 2010 and ranked between 41st and 53rd among the scoring guards.
After rejecting invitations from prestigious universities such as the University of Notre Dame, the University of Maryland, and the University of Xavier, Oladipo promised to join Indiana University and major in sports communication and communication, which seems to indicate that he will be inextricably linked to the Pacers in the future. When talking about his choices, Oladipo once said: "There is a strong basketball atmosphere here, Indiana is also the state of basketball, and my choice is perfect. ”
In his sophomore season, Oladipo averaged 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, shooting 47.1 percent. Some experts hailed him as Indiana University's "most improved player of the season" and called him the best defensive player on the team. Under Oladipo' leadership, Indiana University entered the 2012 NCAA Championship as the No. 4 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16.
In his junior year, Oladipo became the team's brightest star. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game that season. In the regular season, he shot 61.4 percent from the field, ranking No. 4 in the United States and the highest shooting percentage for an NCAA guard player since the 1996–97 season, and was selected as a finalist for the John Wooden Award.
Honors poured in. He was named College Player of the Year, tied for Defensive Player of the Year and Best Defensive Player in the Big 10 Zone, and was also named The Best Team in the United States and Best in the Big 10 District.
With countless halos, Oladipo entered the 2013 NBA Draft and was selected by the Magic with the second pick. In the rookie season, Oladipo made a big shot. On December 4, 2013, during the Magic's game against the 76ers, he and McAvoy became the first rookie in NBA history to score a triple-double in the same game. In the end, Oladipo was selected as the best rookie and ranked second in the rookie vote, behind McAvoy.
In the second season of his career, Oladipo suffered a facial fracture during a training session and was forced to transform into the "Mask Man". But that didn't stop him, averaging 17.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game that season. Oladipo also appeared in the All-Star Dunk Contest that year, but unfortunately he met Lavin.
Oradepo's Orlando years soon came to an end. In late June 2016, he was sent to the Thunder in exchange for Ibaka along with Sabonis Jr. and Ilyasova. Subsequently, Oladipo won the first major contract of his career, renewing his contract with the Thunder for 4 years and 84 million US dollars. Despite missing nine consecutive games in mid-season with a right wrist injury, Oladipo averaged 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game in the season and made his first playoff trip.
The city of Russia is destined not to be a place to stay for long. In the 2017 offseason, Oladipo and Sabonis Jr. were again packed up and sent to the Pacers to exchange Paul George. After four years, Oladipo finally returned to the place where he studied at the university. Returning to his hometown, Oladipo also had the most brilliant year of his career in the 2017-18 season. He averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game that season, was named the steals champion (2.4) and the fastest improving player, was named an All-Star for the first time, and was also named the best third team and the best defensive team.
However, as the so-called "after the glory, there is only one chicken feather left." Since Reggie Miller retired, the Pacers have been changing leaders, and the strange circle from O'Neill to Granger, from George to Oladipo, has always been unable to escape: always quickly in the position, won the most improved player award, but always ruined by injuries (George's recovery after a broken leg is an exception).
The 2018-19 season, a season that Oladipo will never forget. He was named an All-Star again this season, but bad luck struck on January 24, 2019. In that day's game against the Raptors, Oladipo suffered a quadriceps rupture after only 10 minutes of playing, forcing the season to be reimbursed. From the perspective of Oladipo's entire career, this serious injury can also be called a watershed.
After that, Oladipo began a long recuperation. On Jan. 29, 2020, after a 371-day absence, Oladipo finally returned and hit a crucial three-point equalizer in the final moments of the fourth quarter to lead the Pacers to a 115-106 overtime victory over the Bulls. After the game, the emotional Oladipo also dedicated the victory to Kobe Bryant, who had died tragically. That season, Oladipo also played in the playoffs and scored 22, 20 and 25 points in three games after the first round.
But then, Oladipo drifted away from the Pacers over contract renewal issues. It is reported that considering that Oladipo is no longer the same year, the Pacers offer 4 years and 80 million, and this offer that is not as good as their previous contract is naturally rejected by Oladipo. Subsequently, the Pacers once raised the price to 130 million in 4 years, but it was still rejected.
Oladipo did not lack a number of suitors, the Celtics, Heat, Bucks and Knicks all extended an olive branch to him, and Oladipo's favor for the Heat was hyped up by the media and became more and more known. The local media in India City even broke the news that Oladipo had asked the Heat players in front of their teammates in the game, which made the teammates unhappy.
Eventually, the Pacers broke up with Oladipo and sent him to the Rockets in a big 4-team deal involving Harden. After more than 2 months, Oladipo finally joined the Heat as he wished. But what was not beautiful was that before he had time to properly appreciate the taste of playing for the Heat, Oladipo fell down again due to a quadriceps injury after only 4 games, and to this day.
Gone are the days gone, but Oladipo has no time to regret missing yesterday's sun. He is not yet 30 years old, which is his advantage and makes him very similar to the Rose of the year. Maybe he can no longer appear on the front line, but he will eventually prove that he can get back what he has lost. (Supine Braces/Hairy)