Garth Brooks. Toby Keith. Carrie Underwood. Blake Shelton. The Flaming Lips. Hanson, The All-American Rejects – and now, Victor Oladipo.
What do all these people have in common? They’re all Oklahomans (or people with current Oklahoma ties) who have made their mark in musical history.
In The Beginning:
Born Kehinde Babatunde Victor Oladipo in Silver Springs, Maryland, in 1992, Oladipo grew up alongside three siblings, including a twin sister. In his youth, he played basketball at DeMatha High School, where he averaged 11.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game in his senior year. From there, he played at Indiana University for three years before entering the NBA draft.
The Singing Begins:
On the night of the 2013 draft, Victor Oladipo’s professional career—and his singing career—began. After being picked second by the Orlando Magic, he sang “Maybach Curtains” by Meek Mill during an interview.
Later, he sang “New York, New York” at the 2015 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest in Brooklyn, with celebrities Rihanna and Nicki Minaj watching. Then, during a talent show at a Florida water park this summer, Oladipo sang “I Believe I Can Fly.” He took first place.
Thunderous Pipes:
Since joining the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016, Victor Oladipo has racked up not only points, but also opportunities to show off his voice. With the help of Russell Westbrook on Thunder Media Day, Oladipo returned to singing basics:
🎤🎤 A gem from Media Day. pic.twitter.com/070ZA85RKw
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) September 29, 2016
Of course, we can’t leave out the newest NBA holiday commercial. “The Most Dunktastic Time of the Year” includes performances by Oladipo, Blake Griffin, and numerous other basketball stars.
When Music Meets Basketball:
Oladipo is not the first NBA star to show off his musical ability. Supposedly, Kevin Durant can rap.
More from Thunderous Intentions
Metta World Peace released a rap album a decade ago, and even asked his team for time off to promote it. Iman Shumpert of the Cleveland Cavaliers was interested in music before his basketball career took off, and he released a mix tape in 2013. Plus, retired player Jerry Stackhouse has performed the national anthem at several NBA games.
And, let’s not forget Shaq’s many musical escapades. Shaq Diesel, the debut album from the NBA legend, features songs like “(I Know I Got) Skillz” and “I’m Outstanding.” These tracks are a sharp contract to another song on the album, “I Hate 2 Brag.”
He Gets By With a Little Help:
He may not be the only musically gifted NBA star, but Oladipo is (most likely) the first one whose musical ability is inspired by the triple-double machine known as Russell Westbrook. In an interview at the beginning of the season, Oladipo said that Westbrook helps him out during bouts of insomnia.
“Some days at night I can’t sleep, and I just call him,” Oladipo said. “And he sings me to sleep.”
We hope Oladipo never loses Russ’ number, because his musical performances are a welcome addition to the Thunder family.
