After going from complementary player to national superstar in a few short months, Victor Oladipo is now taking his game to the next level.
The Indiana guard announced his decision to enter the NBA draft at a news conference Tuesday afternoon on the Bloomington campus.
Nobody in college basketball raised his stock more than Oladipo this season. The junior was the Hoosiers’ second-leading scorer, averaging 13.6 points per game to go along 6.3 rebounds per game and a 44.1 percent 3-point percentage.
He earned first-team All-America honors while leading an Indiana team that spent much of the year ranked No. 1 in the nation.
“It’s a no-brainer for Victor to head to the league because his value won’t get any higher than what it is,” an NBA scout told The Indianapolis Star. “Returning will likely hurt him. … He’s ready for the NBA right now. I think he can help teams because he has a motor. He can defend, and his offense has gotten drastically better. He plays bigger than his size.”
The Hoosiers’ other star, sophomore center Cody Zeller, is expected to announce his draft intentions on Wednesday. Zeller entered the season as the No. 1 ranked college prospect in the nation but saw his stock slip slightly despite leading Indiana in scoring (16.5 points per game) and rebounding (8.1 per game).
Both he and Oladipo are projected as lottery picks.
