After catching the world’s attention, Los Angeles Lakers guard Quincy Olivari is well on his way to being a household name among basketball fans.
Lakers Sign Diamond In The Rough Quincy Olivari To Two-Way Contract
In the meantime, the 23-year-old will his career on a hybrid contract, per to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin). To accommodate his signing, the Lakers will waive 24-year-old center Colin Castleton. Undrafted rookie Armel Traore and Christian Koloko, who is still awaiting clearance to play, will join him as L.A.’s two-way players.
The Los Angeles Lakers are signing Quincy Olivari to a two-way NBA contract, his agent Darrell Comer told me and @mcten. Incredible story for the Lakers’ undrafted rookie out of Xavier who earns roster spot after standout preseason. Lakers are waiving center Colin Castleton. pic.twitter.com/R132rLudFv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2024
While Olivari’s zhuzh shot-making was sensational this preseason, there was question about where he would be on the roster to open the season.
For starters, their all of their roster spots were filled, meaning they would have to waive a player. Furthermore, Los Angeles has several players capable of manning the 1, including LeBron James and Austin Reaves. That being said, Olivari has endeared himself to the organization, on and off the court.
He’s in fan favorite territory already. The infamous picture he took with James on Media Day was a viral moment that adds color to the story. However, the crux of fan’s support for him is that he’s an underdog who seems to have fell between the cracks.
On top of that, his teammates respect his professionalism. His coaches respect his effort. His opponents respect his humility. From the outside looking in, he seems like a down to earth guy just trying to make the best out of his situation. With his palpable positivity, he likely enhances the locker room chemistry.
— Quincy Olivari (@quincyolivari) October 19, 2024
Ultimately, there were more reasons to sign Olivari than to not.
