Indiana Pacers star guard Victor Oladipo had surgery on the ruptured quad tendon in his right knee today, the team announced. He is expected to make a full recovery, but the team did not provide a timetable for Oladipo’s return.
He was ruled out for the season after suffering his injury last Wednesday vs. Toronto. However, in recent comments, he sounded as confident as ever in returning to his All-Star form.
On Saturday, Oladipo posted a message on Instagram that read, in part: “It’s going to be tough but tough times don’t last tough people do. It’s time for me to truly practice what I preach and trust my God in heaven and the plan he has for me. I will be back better than ever and if you question that well, thank you.”
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At the time of the injury, Oladipo was averaging 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 31.9 minutes. He ranks third in the NBA this season in clutch points with 5.1 ppg, and was an All-Star last season.
Concerned reactions — from the hometown fans, players on the court and those watching from afar — quickly began pouring in after Oladipo suffered his injury. The sixth-year guard eventually left the court on a stretcher, raising his arms to acknowledge the crowd. Former Pacers star Paul George, who suffered a catastrophic leg injury while training with Team USA in 2014, chimed in with a show of support via Twitter.
Oladipo thanked everyone for the “breathtaking” and inspirational outpouring of support in the wake of the injury.
Indiana went 7-4 when Oladipo missed 11 games earlier this season with a sore right knee. Since his season-ending injury was made known, the Pacers have gone 0-1, losing 106-103 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Indiana hosts the Western Conference-leading Golden State Warriors tonight (7 ET, NBA TV).
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.