Indiana Pacers: Victor Oladipo should finish his career with team

Victor Oladipo’s career was meant to conclude with Indiana Pacers

Though he wasn’t born in Indiana, but if there’s anyone who has absolutely made himself am honorary Hoosier, it’s Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo.

Oladipo’s career won’t directly parallel that of Reggie Miller, one of the final players from an era where you typically ended your career where you started it if you were a competitor.

Keeping stars in place was Indiana’s calling card for some time, and the way the Paul George era ended sticks firmly in the forefront of the fanbase’s mind. George abrasively introduced Pacers fans to the new way of operating as a star in the NBA — if something doesn’t work and you’re a star player, you up and leave and find a situation that offers you more comfortability and opportunity to win.

That didn’t sit well with Pacers fans. It’s going to take some time for Pacers fans to appreciate all that PG13 did for this franchise, likely even longer than it took Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors fanbase to reconcile.

Oladipo’s career was starting to resemble that of a journeyman until he landed in Indiana. Drafted by the Orlando Magic, he was traded to the OKC Thunder, and then swapped alongside Domantas Sabonis for Paul George.

From the start, though, Oladipo knew what he was getting into in Indiana.

In an article he penned at The Player’s Tribune, Oladipo recalled his time at Indiana University and told Sabonis what he could expect from going to Indiana.

"“I promise, if you win here in Indiana, they’ll embrace you like no other,” Oladipo told Sabonis."

In his own mind, he had to process the fact that he had just been traded for a second time. Like he was hardly worth it for any of the two teams he had put so much work in for.

Given his firsthand knowledge of what basketball meant to Indiana, it didn’t take long for Oladipo to compartmentalize this as a positive move for him.

"And I knew this wasn’t just any trade. It was the Pacers. It was Indiana, and I knew Indiana.I wasn’t going to just another team. I was coming home."

That rings true, and is something for Pacers fans to hold onto.

Two words, associated in Oladipo’s mind. “Home” and “Indiana.”

It’s not often the Pacers get stars to call Indiana that and identify it as theirs.

Again, Oladipo is a Hoosier, though he wasn’t born here. He’s taken up home in a flyover state and established himself in the community. He’s lead one of the community’s prized possessions, the Pacers, to victory.

Though he and the Pacers have yet to compete deep in the playoffs, they’re on the cusp of that.

Oladipo has one more year on his contract. Indiana and him have already discussed the idea of an extension according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, and it would do both parties well to figure something out that keeps Oladipo in Indiana long term.

Indiana, the middle state, has constantly pulled Oladipo toward it.

Oladipo, should he enter free agency, has the right to negotiate with any team that is interested in his services. Given his leap to stardom after joining the Pacers, he certainly will have a good amount of teams interested in what he has to offer.

There’s a reason Oladipo’s career has taken off in Indiana, though. The motivations, the desires, the hard work and never say die attitude, they are things that Oladipo brings in his game that directly parallel the mindset of Hoosiers when they approach basketball across the state.

The connection between Oladipo and his community is a seamless fit.

In his own words, this is his home.