SAN FRANCISCO — The NBA preseason does not at all times present the perfect basketball, however it by no means fails to provide heartwarming tales. Whereas stars and established gamers are tuning up and shaking off the rust, dozens of different hopefuls are preventing and battling each minute in an effort to meet their NBA dream. We have seen former UPS employees, Uber drivers and most just lately a bartender signed to contracts out of coaching camp, and it actually places into perspective what a privilege it’s to compete beneath the world’s brightest basketball lights.
We received one other dose of healthful content material on Friday evening when, on account of a lot of the Los Angeles Lakers regulars resting, guard Quincy Olivari received the nod at place to begin guard within the preseason finale towards the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. The undrafted rookie out of Xavier carried out effectively, placing up a game-high 22 factors and 7 rebounds within the 132-74 loss, however the spotlight of his evening got here outdoors of recreation motion.
That is as a result of Olivari received to fulfill his basketball idol, Stephen Curry. The Warriors famous person did not swimsuit up for the sport on account of a finger harm, however he took the time to introduce himself to Olivari, who received emotional afterward discussing the assembly.
“It is loopy as a result of I’ve appreciated him since I used to be in like sixth grade. I do not even know what to say, man. Like, that is my favourite participant ever,” the 23-year-old Olivari mentioned. “The very first thing he advised me was like, ‘I am a giant fan of your recreation,’ and fact be advised, I am a giant fan of him. I had his jersey — he signed it twice. I used to sleep beneath that jersey. And like, I simply wished to be like him so badly.
“Simply to have the ability to meet him, him having the ability to have some respect for me, after which us to speak within the again — he gave me a pair of his sneakers and signed them. That meant the world to me, man. My dad is aware of, my mother is aware of — like, it simply means loads. I do not know, it simply means loads.”
Olivari additionally posted a video of a youthful model of himself getting his jersey signed by Curry.
It was clearly an amazing expertise for Olivari, who, fact be advised, performed a little bit bit like his idol on Friday evening. He went 5 for 9 from 3-point vary, together with this one the place he made a Curry-esque relocation to the nook for an open look.
Olivari definitely took benefit of his alternative this preseason by averaging almost 9 factors in 4 video games on 8-for-14 3-point capturing. That was sufficient for the Lakers to reward him with a two-way contract, so his NBA journey is much from over, however it doesn’t matter what occurs Olivari will at all times bear in mind the evening he received to fulfill the participant he emulated rising up.
