[Saba Sports News] The NBA hosts its annual Summer League in Las Vegas, drawing a large contingent of scouts and front-office executives to evaluate players. In addition, numerous overseas league officials attend to scout import players. Against this backdrop, players seeking professional opportunities are not obligated to compete in the NBA Summer League; they may instead host private workout sessions to showcase their abilities. Victor Oladipo has opted for this route. Though three years removed from the NBA, he has never abandoned his dream of returning to the league. During last offseason, Oladipo had a short stint with CBA side Guangzhou Loong Lions and appeared in three NBA preseason contests. This summer, refusing to give up, he arranged private workouts in Las Vegas to market himself to teams. Following the session, Oladipo teared up and shared, “Deep down in my soul, I’m going to keep fighting.” Nevertheless, the odds are stacked against Oladipo’s comeback. For one thing, he is already 34 years old. For another, his career has been plagued by severe knee injuries. On January 24, 2019, he suffered a ruptured right quadriceps tendon. He underwent a second surgical repair on the same right quad tendon on May 13, 2021, before tearing his left patellar tendon on April 23, 2023.
Meanwhile, the NBA is flooded with young rookies. As a result, teams have little incentive to take a chance on a veteran who has endured multiple severe injuries and been away from the league for three years, leaving Oladipo with dim prospects of an NBA return. Even though his comeback dream seems unlikely, Oladipo’s relentless perseverance deserves all fans’ support.