Victor Oladipo previously said he would not be playing. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana Pacers star Victor Oladipo will play in NBA resumption

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 8/1/20

Indiana Pacers star guard Victor Oladipo played in a couple of their exhibition games leading up to the team’s first regular-season outing at Walt Disney World against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night.

Although, the All-Star had not committed to taking to the court for the final eight regular-season games and the playoffs. Until now.

Coach on @VicOladipo: "He is in the lineup, he'll be starting tonight. So yes, he's playing and ready to go." pic.twitter.com/qZH8vU3WFu
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) August 1, 2020

The guard had returned to the court back in January after a yearlong hiatus due to a ruptured quad tendon he suffered back in 2019. That played a role in Oladipo refusing to commit to playing in Orlando. In fact, he had initially decided to opt out.

This is some pretty big news for a Pacers squad that heads into Saturday night’s action with a 39-26 record and as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The centerpiece in the deal that sent Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the 2017-18 season, this former No. 2 overall pick has morphed into a star for the Pacers.

Oladipo, 28, averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and an NBA-best 2.4 steals per game in his first season with the Pacers.

Although, he struggled once returning from injury this past January. The guard averaged 13.8 points on 39 percent shooting before the season was suspended back on March 11.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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