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Power ranking the NBA’s top 10 shooting guards for 2019-20

By Austin Carroll

PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 24: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns look on during the game on January 24, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 24: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns look on during the game on January 24, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NBA - Portland Trail Blazers
NBA – Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

18.8 PTS, 5.2 AST. 51.9 TS%. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Victor oladipo. 2. 100

Victor Oladipo is the surprise riser on this list, due to an apparent lack of superstar status. However, he will be as vital to his team’s success as almost any other player in the league next year. Although his career came out to a slow start, Oladipo has set fire to the world since arriving in Indiana.

In that first year with the Pacers, Oladipo averaged an impressive 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while leading the NBA in steals at 2.4 per contest. He collected a massive haul of awards for his performance, including All-NBA Third Team, Most Improved Player, All-Defensive First Team and his first All-Star selection.

Unfortunately, Oladipo went down with a ruptured quad tendon just 36 games into the 2018-19 campaign, after already aggravating a knee injury earlier in November. This led to a poor statistical season due to constantly nursing his knees, but his effect on the game was very clear.

With Oladipo in the lineup, the Pacers looked like one of the best teams in the NBA, going 25-11. Without their franchise cornerstone, Indiana was just barely able to right the ship and went a meager 23-23.

A full year of Vic in the lineup may lead to the Pacers becoming an unlikely dark horse candidate to come out of the Eastern Conference. With Malcolm Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb joining the team, Oladipo won’t be forced to carry the load all by himself. T.J. Warren should also make for an adequate replacement for Bojan Bogdanovic. Watch out for this team next year.