Orlando Magic

Victor Oladipo is putting himself through mindblowing shooting drills

Published Oct. 20, 2015 4:21 p.m. ET

foxsports

The common criticism against the Orlando Magic's dynamic young backcourt is a simple one: They can't shoot. Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo are amazingly talented prospects, but their inability to consistently knock down shots from the perimeter is limiting just how good they can be.

It's an oversimplification, for starters. But even if there's a kernel of truth to the sentiment, that might not be the case for very long. In preparation for the upcoming season, Oladipo is putting himself through exhaustive (and exhausting) shooting drills at the end of practice, according to the Magic's official team website:

Even just a little bit of improvement by Oladipo from deep could drastically help Orlando. He's not a horrific 3-point shooter; last year, he made just shy of 34 percent of his looks from downtown. The breakeven point for a 3-point shooter is roughly 36 percent. At that point, defenses at least have to consider covering Oladipo, which prevents defenders from sagging into the lane and preventing the Magic from driving to the rim.

But with this kind of dedication, the sky could be the limit for Oladipo as a shooter. And that, in turn, could help him take the next step in his path toward stardom.