Victor Oladipo suffered a debilitating quad tendon injury last season which ultimately spelled the end of his 2018-2019 campaign. Since then, the Indiana Pacers star has been hard at work, trying to make sure he can get back to normal and give the Pacers a chance to contend. In fact, Oladipo had briefly returned this season, although the Coronavirus put an end to that fairly quickly.
Today, Oladipo updated fans on what his plans were for the NBA bubble city in Orlando, Florida. As it turns out, Oladipo believes the bubble has disrupted his ability to rehab, and he is scared of getting re-injured. With this in mind, he will not play the rest of the season, although he will go to Orlando with his teammates.
“I really want to play, and as a competitor and teammate this is tearing me apart,” Victor Oladipo said. “I feel like I’m at a great place in my rehab and getting closer and closer to 100 percent. With all the variables, from how I have to build my 5-on-5 workload back up, to the increased risk of a soft tissue injury which could delay my rehab, and the unknown exact set up of the bubble, I just can’t get my mind to being fully comfortable in playing. I have to be smart and this decision hasn’t been easy, but I truly believe continuing on the course I’m on and getting fully healthy for the 2020-21 season is the right decision for me.”
Oladipo isn't the first player to make such a decision and he certainly won't be the last. At this juncture, it's clear that many players see the bubble city as an unworthy risk.
[Via]