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Indy 500: Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers to drive pace car

By Asher Fair

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo is set to drive the pace car at the 102nd running of the Indy 500 to lead the field to the green flag.

The biggest IndyCar race of the season, the 2018 Indianapolis 500, is set to feature a Pacer driving the pace car.

Victor Oladipo, the 26-year-old star shooting guard of the Indiana Pacers who played college basketball at the University of Indiana as a Hoosier, is set to lead the field to the green flag in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the four-turn, 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana.

Here is what Oladipo had to say in a statement about being given the opportunity to drive the pace car ahead of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, according to ESPN.

"“This is a tremendous honor for me, I’m so thankful Indiana continues to embrace me, from Indiana University to the Pacers and now the Indianapolis 500, the greatest race in the world.”"

Oladipo just got done with his first season playing for the Pacers after spending his first three seasons playing for the Orlando Magic and last season playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was traded this past offseason from the Thunder to the Pacers along with center Domantas Sabonis for star small forward Paul George.

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Oladipo had a breakout season in his first season with the Pacers, as he led the team to an improbable playoff berth as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference after they were projected to finish toward the bottom of the 15-team Eastern Conference. They came within one game of knocking off the three-time defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.

This past season, Oladipo averaged career-highs in all five major statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. He averaged 23.1 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game, 0.8 blocks per game and 2.4 steals per game. He also shot a career-high 47.7% from the field and a career-high 37.1% from three-point range. He also shot 79.9% from the free throw line, and he was elected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career as a reserve.

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Be sure to tune in to the live broadcast of the 102nd running of the Indy 500 on ABC starting at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 27 to watch Victor Oladipo lead the 33-car field to the green flag ahead of 200 laps of action around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.