Two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, who battled a series of injuries that derailed his NBA career, is healthy this fall and is spending the preseason with the Guangzhou Loong Lions, a Chinese team that is playing a series of stateside exhibition games against NBA teams this month. According to Sam Yip of HoopsHype, Oladipo’s plan is to evaluate his options and potential next steps once the preseason is over.
Oladipo held his own against NBA players in Guangzhou’s first two games on Monday and Thursday, registering 20 points and five steals in 29 minutes vs. San Antonio, then putting up 24 points and five assists in 27 minutes against the Clippers. However, the 33-year-old guard tells Yip that nothing came of a July workout in Las Vegas in front of NBA teams.
“People show interest, but again, with the new CBA, with contracts and stuff, people can only do so much,” Oladipo said. “So time will tell when the opportunity presents itself, I’ll be ready for it.”
Representatives from European teams also reportedly attended Oladipo’s workout in Las Vegas, and while he didn’t rule out the possibility of playing overseas, the former No. 2 overall pick suggested he’s not seriously entertaining that idea at the moment.
“You know, if push comes to shove and that’s the last option, we’ll see. I’m definitely one of the best. So that’s where I belong is the three letters: N-B-A,” he told Yip with a laugh.
We have a few more items of interest from around the international basketball world:
- Harry Giles, a first-round pick in the 2017 NBA draft, has signed with the Jiangsu Dragons in the Chinese Basketball Association, as Dario Skerletic of Sportando relays. A former Duke big man, Giles has appeared in 165 NBA games for four teams, but wasn’t in the league last season after making 23 appearances for the Nets and Lakers in 2023/24. It will be his second year in China, as he played for the Shanxi Loongs in ’24/25.
- D.J. Wilson, who was drafted three spots ahead of Giles in 2017, is also returning to the Chinese Basketball Association, having joined the Jilin Northeast Tigers, per Skerletic. Like Giles, Wilson was out of the NBA last season after having gotten back into the league in ’23/24. The 6’10” forward played for the Shanghai Sharks in ’24/25.
- Former Nuggets and Spurs forward Joffrey Lauvergne has signed with Kuwait SC, agent Misko Raznatovic announced on social media (Twitter link). A 6’11” French forward/center, Lauvergne has been playing in Europe since exiting the NBA in 2018, spending time in Turkey, Lithuania, and France over the past seven years. His new club is the defending champion in the 12-team Kuwaiti Division I Basketball League.