Miami Heat's Victor Oladipo is a man of many talents with plenty of heart
MIAMI - If the Miami Heat needs inspiration this season, they need look no further than Victor Oladipo, a man of many talents who has plenty of heart.
To reach Oladipo, just talk music, it seems to pour out of him, even when he's on the practice court.
"You know a song can make, you know, make a lot of things change for you. It can bring back nostalgia, it could, you know, bring back good memories, bad memories, whatever you want. So that's the power of music," he told CBS4's Jim Berry.
Oladipo believes there's a song for every occasion.
"What's the song for your situation here in Miami right now?," asked Berry.
"That's a great question," he replied.
His answer was an inspirational song that he uses to begin each day. It's called "The Best for Last."
"It says in the song, the best is still yet to come," said Oladipo.
Oladipo has hung onto that belief past four years while battling back from two surgeries on his right knee and several setbacks. Now two years into his tenure with the Heat, Oladipo is starting to look and feel like his old All-Star self. But he admits, his road back to NBA glory has not been easy.
"It's been hard definitely. You know, I'm human, we all have human tendencies, we all have doubt," he said.
But through persistence and downright stubbornness, Oladipo, 30, has wheeled himself back onto the court, unwilling to believe that he's washed up.
"You can't tell me that I can't be better than I was. The sky is the limit, know what I mean. And I don't even think the sky is the limit, honestly, to be real with you, it's above that," said Oladipo.
While working his way back, he accepted coming off the bench.
"How does a former All-Star cope with being in that role?" asked Berry.
"You just gotta understand that it's just a role. It doesn't define who you are," he said.
Oladipo's mighty spirit is not lost on his teammates.
"With all the stuff he's been through, some people tend to like change, a majority for the worst. Like 'I'm giving up on basketball', or, 'I don't get the opportunity to be the same player that I was.' He's still him, he's still smiling," said Jimmy Butler.
And still singing. The kid who once sang at church with his mom grew up to wow nationally televised audiences. And at the team's holiday party, Oladipo brought his "A game" to the mic.
"A few people went up there, then he went up there, that was like a pro. And so at that point, everybody else kinda like [shrunk], it's not a fair fight," said coach Eric Spoelstra.