Victor Oladipo Speaks to Media
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — As Pacers star Victor Oladipo continues his rehab process in Florida, he took some time to speak with the media via conference call.
This should be no surprise to Pacers fans- Oladipo was upbeat with a positive outlook on the whole situation.
“The last week has been good,” Oladipo said. “Taking it one day at a time. It’s just a blessing that I can still do something related to basketball even though I can’t play. Watching it and studying it. Always trying to get better.”
Oladipo addressed a number of topics during this session.
On meeting with the team recently= “They just needed to hear my voice and let them know I’m good. I felt bad because I didn’t want my season to end like this. Me being human, at times it felt like I was letting them down a little bit. But to talk to them and see them, it was good for me to tell them- we are right where we want to be. They’re more than capable of doing great things without me out there. I told them we are at our best when nobody believes in us. Ever since then, they’ve been nothing short of amazing. I’m looking forward to seeing how far they can go.”
On the team’s play= “The team is playing very well right now-playing at a high level. The biggest thing is to remember every day is going to be different. Find a way to win. Can’t get too high. Can’t get too low. Come in and do your job. Every game ain’t gonna be perfect. Your approach and mentality have to be consistent. That’s what they’re doing right now.”
On the addition of Wesley Matthews= “I know Wes pretty well. I think he’s a great addition. Really think he’s going to help a lot. He’s a perfect addition to our team.”
On his teammates= “I feel like my teammates have been great during this process. They’ve been supportive. They check on me numerous times. Even little gestures like Domas still doing our pre-game shooting, even though I’m not there. It just shows you that we were more than just a team. That’s how these guys are.”
On his rehab process= “I don’t have any specific schedule. Taking it one day at a time really. I’m not looking at the past. Staying in the present. I haven’t spoken with Tony (Parker) yet. I plan on reaching out but I was going to wait until maybe around the all-star break to reach out. I’m a positive butterfly. Not looking too far into the future or the past.Just worried about today. I’m not in bed all day. I got crutches so I’m pretty mobile. I’m a slow walker so it’s actually about the same pace.
Oladipo said he plans on joining the team at some point later this season. He reiterated his point of “taking it one day at a time” several times, so he does not have an answer for questions about his timetable of recovery.
The Pacers lost four straight games after Oladipo went down. Since meeting with him in Miami? They’re 5-0.
