Victor Oladipo, who sat out all of preseason with an MCL sprain, will be out indefinitely after suffering a facial fracture, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
Oladipo suffered the injury during Thursday’s practice after he took an inadvertent elbow to the face. He was hit right under his eye and will undergo surgery on Saturday. Oladipo will more than likely sit out for Orlando’s opening night game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In his rookie campaign, Oladipo averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. He finished second amongst all rookies for the Rookie of the Year award. Oladipo played in 80 games last season and started in 44. This season, with Jameer Nelson gone, the 22-year old figures to be a permanent starter.
The young Orlando Magic will have to heavily count on rookie point guard Elfrid Payton to run the offense in Oladipo’s absence.
The 2013 number two overall pick is off to a shaky start to his sophomore year but once he returns, he should have a huge season.