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Thursday, February 21, 2013
 Oladipo the nation's best right now?
By Luke Lapinski

 The praise for Victor Oladipo just keeps rolling in. As we noted yesterday, he's getting plenty of attention from NBA GMs. And his stock has risen more than virtually any other player in the nation this season, vaulting all the way up to No. 5 on Chad Ford's big board. Whether he declares for the draft this summer or returns for his senior season at Indiana, the future is extremely bright for the energetic prospect.

On top of all that, he's emerged as a major candidate in the race for this year's Wooden Award. In fact, in John Gasaway's eyes, he's the leading candidate right now. What makes Oladipo so valuable to the Hoosiers is the fact that he players phenomenal defense, and then contributes in basically every other area. That's something most players simply cannot do. IU has a ton of weapons, but Oladipo has made a major name for himself even while sharing a roster with the likes of Cody Zeller and Jordan Hulls. The fact that he's getting buzz as a high lottery pick and that he's even being considered for an award like the Wooden after starting the season as more of a support player speaks to just how dangerous he makes his team right now.

John Gasaway
Oladipo's remarkable rise
"Episodes like that 40th minute at Illinois have convinced me that Oladipo has, rather surprisingly, become the most central player on Tom Crean's roster. By that I mean, in no particular order: Oladipo has posted the highest assist rate of any Indiana player not named "Yogi Ferrell" or "Jordan Hulls." He chips in occasionally on the defensive glass, and is actually quite good on the offensive boards. His shooting from the field is more accurate than that of any major-conference player in the country. And then, of course, there's his defense."