Indiana's Victor Oladipo declares for NBA draft
Indiana guard Victor Oladipo is considered a potential lottery pick in the NBA draft. (Andrew Hancock/SI)
Indiana junior guard Victor Oladipo declared for the NBA draft at a news conference on Tuesday.
“It’s been an honor to play here at Indiana, but I will be entering the NBA draft,” Oladipo said, according to InsideTheHall.com.
SI.com's Chris Mannix had Oladipo ranked seventh on his most recent big board, in mid-March, before the start of the NCAA tournament.
Dick Vitale compared Oladipo to Michael Jordan in his days at North Carolina. NBA executives aren't ready to go that far, but many are beginning to believe in the Hoosiers' guard as a top-10 pick. Oladipo is a spectacular athlete who can finish anywhere near the rim. Though not a consistent threat from beyond the arc, Oladipo's three-point shooting has improved significantly in his junior season, jumping from 20.8 percent to 46.4 percent.
Oladipo, 20, averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Hoosiers, who lost to Syracuse in the Sweet 16. Oladipo shot 59.9 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from three-point range, earning first-team All-Big 10 and first-team AP All-America honors.
