Lakers rookie Quincy Olivari has quite the story to start his NBA journey. The undrafted guard out of Xavier made his league dreams a reality when he signed a two-way deal with LA in October. Now, he will live out another dream of his: working alongside his childhood idol.
Lakers News: Rookie Signs with Superstar Idol’s Brand
Full-Circle Moment
On Friday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Olivari is signing an endorsement deal with the Curry Brand, the standalone Under Armour venture of Warriors superstar Steph Curry. Olivari’s admiration for the Golden State phenom is well-known, having received Curry’s autograph as a kid twice and even sleeping with one of his jerseys. Following his 22-point performance against the Warriors in preseason, Olivari was emotional reflecting on a postgame moment with Curry:
“That’s my favorite player ever & the first thing he told me was, ‘I’m a big fan of your game.’ I had his jersey. He signed it twice. I used to sleep under that jersey. I wanted to be like him so bad.”
Full circle life moment: Lakers two-way guard Quincy Olivari is finalizing a shoe endorsement deal with Curry Brand, Stephen Curry's standalone venture at Under Armour, sources tell ESPN. Reporting on NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/tu34KliPzA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 6, 2024
Charania added that Olivari will be the second active player to sign with Curry Brand, joining Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox, whose first signature sneaker, the Curry Fox 1, debuts today.
Olivari Could Help Struggling Lakers Now
Olivari’s deal is a testament to all of his hard work up to this point, as well as how high his popularity has grown from preseason to now. While an endorsement deal will not catapult him into the Lakers’ rotation, his play has proven he can bring the team some fresh energy right now—especially following their blowout loss to the Heat on Wednesday.
In five games with the South Bay Lakers—who are currently in the middle of the G League’s Tip-Off Tournament—Olivari has averaged 21.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game on .371/.413/.875 splits.
With the Lakers in the midst of a two-game skid in which they were outscored by 70 points, it’s up to head coach JJ Redick to find new avenues for internal improvement. Judging by Olivari’s recent performances in the G League—including a 33-point outburst against the Santa Cruz Warriors on Nov. 19—he’s more than ready to meet the moment.
In the Lakers’ two losses, their guards have combined for 32 points on 38.7% shooting from the field and 31% from three. They’ve also posted a net rating of -10.7 (27.3 offensive, 38.0 defensive). Just as it’s important for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to improve, the players around them need to show signs of life, and Olivari could do just that if given the chance.
The Last Word
Quincy Olivari’s story continues to warm many hearts and catch the eyes of NBA players and fans alike. He finds himself in rare company as a two-way player with a shoe deal, let alone from one of the greatest shooters in the league. Time will tell if his opportunity with the Lakers comes, but for now, his signing serves as an inspirational tale, and proves that meeting your hero is worth it after all.
