After the Los Angeles Lakers finished their final preseason friendly against the Golden State Warriors, one name that left a strong impression was Quincy Olivari.
The 23-year-old guard joined the Lakers last summer with an invitation to join the purple and gold team. But not limited to the role of a practice player, Olivari took full advantage of the opportunity to show his best.
Starting from playing well in practice, Quincy Olivari gradually caught the attention of coach JJ Redick and was included in the Preseason squad. From here, he stepped into the light with two extremely excellent performances.
In the match against Milwaukee Bucks, Olivari alone scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Los Angeles Lakers have their first victory under coach JJ Redick.
Coming to the match against the Golden State Warriors last Saturday, Quincy shined with 22 points, shooting 8-16 FG and 5-9 3PT on the day the pillars rested, with Bronny James (17 PTS) leading the team in scoring.
After this match, he shared: “I just wanted to play in the NBA” . And then that became a reality.
Looking back at Quincy Olivari’s unexpected brilliance, scoring 11 points in 9 minutes in the 4th quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks
According to reputable journalist Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers have signed Quincy Olivari to a two-way contract. This dual 1-year contract will allow Olivari to play in parallel between the G-League and the NBA.
It is known that the 23-year-old guard has made a great impression on the Los Angeles Lakers, including the club’s top stars such as LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell. They appreciate his eagerness to learn, strong mentality and passionate playing style.
Quincy Olivari will be one of three two-way players for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the 2024-25 season. The other two are center Christian Koloko, who has had a blood clotting issue, and Armel Traore, a Frenchman who was a teammate of Victor Wembanyama.
From “hardcore fan” Stephen Curry becomes idol’s rival
Quincy Olivary has been fascinated by basketball and Stephen Curry since he was a child. He was lucky enough to get his idol to sign a jersey, and then cherished the jersey so much that he covered himself with it every time he slept.
Olivary spoke to Curry about the story at Saturday’s friendly against the Warriors, where he learned that his idol also likes his passionate and fiery style of play.
“Having liked him since sixth grade, I was really speechless when we had that conversation. The first thing he told me was that he liked my style of play, while I really looked up to him as an idol and wanted to be a player like him,” Olivari shared, feeling emotional and tearful after the match.
“Just meeting Stephen Curry was special. He was so respectful to me and we talked not only on the court but in the tunnel after the game. He even gave me a pair of shoes and signed them. I was really speechless because I was so emotional,” the 23-year-old defender added.
Now from a “hardcore fan” of Stephen Curry, Quincy Olivari in the traditional purple and yellow jersey will have to face his idol in competition.