The Lakers’ preseason was mostly ordinary, but one rookie had a lot at stake.
Quincy Olivari, 23 years old and undrafted, was not just playing for minutes; he was fighting for his NBA future. After the final preseason game against the Warriors, he expressed his simple goal: “I just want a job in the NBA,” as reported by ESPN. His determination paid off when the Lakers offered him a two-way contract after releasing Colin Castleton.
From Unknown to Known:
Olivari’s rise to fame began with a viral photo of him beside LeBron James at media day. Fans were curious about this number 41 who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loadingImpressive Preseason Performances:
Starting with a training camp deal, Olivari quickly became the buzz of the Lakersโ preseason. He scored 11 points in a fourth-quarter comeback win over the Bucks, marking JJ Redick’s first victory as head coach. A few days later, he scored 22 points against the Warriors while shooting five out of nine from beyond the arc.
We love seeing new talents shine bright on big stages!
Olivariโs shooting skills stood out during these games. He made eight out of fourteen three-pointers throughout preseason play. At Xavier University, he led his team with a 40.9% three-point shooting rate and set their record for most threes in one season with 106 shots made! Before Xavier, he spent four seasons at Rice University where he also impressed everyone with consistent long-range accuracy.
Praise Beyond Shooting:
Redick praised Olivari not only for his basketball skills but also for his character and work ethic via Spectrum Sportsnet: “He has an infectious spirit and soul about him… His work ethic is really high.”
“When you have someone who cares,” Redick continued, “whoโs a good teammate… itโs easy to respond to that as teammates or coaching staff.”
The Road Ahead:
Though earning this contract marks progress for Olivari’s career journey into professional basketball leagues like NBA G League South Bay Lakers awaits him next steps ahead remain uncertain yet promising under growing emphasis placed upon developing players within such environments by coaches like Redick himself ensuring close proximity between aspiring athletes & major league opportunities alike!
