SAN FRANCISCO — The NBA preseason doesn’t always offer the best basketball, but it never fails to generate moving stories. Dating stars and established players are sharpening up and shaking off the rust, dozens of alternative hopefuls are fighting and fighting each and every one of them with the goal of fulfilling their NBA dream. We have perceived former UPS employees, Uber drivers and most recently a bartender signed with promise out of training camp, and really makes clear what a privilege it is to compete under the brightest basketball lights in the business.
We got another dose of healthy content on Friday night when, thanks to many of the Los Angeles Lakers regulars being rested, Quincy Olivari got the nod for the starting-level barricade spot in the preseason finale against the Blonde Shape Warriors in San Francisco. The undrafted freshman from Xavier performed well, posting 22 points and seven rebounds in the 132-74 loss, but the spotlight of his night came outside of the competitive action.
That’s because Olivari was handed over to satisfy his basketball idol, Stephen Curry. The Warriors superstar didn’t like the game, but he took the time to introduce himself to Olivari, who later became emotional when talking about the meeting.
“It’s crazy because I’ve liked him since I was in sixth grade. I don’t even know what to say, man. He’s my favorite player,” said Olivari, 23. “The first thing he said to me was, ‘I’m a big fan of your game,’ and the truth is, I’m a big fan of him. I had his jersey, he signed it twice. I used to sleep under that jersey. And I had so many I want to be like him.
“Just so you could meet him, so he could have a little appreciation for me, and then we talked in the back, he gave me a pair of his sneakers and he signed them. That meant the industry to me, kid. My dad “You know, my mother knows, it just means an amount, I don’t know, it just means an amount.”
Olivari also posted a video of a younger version of himself getting his jersey signed by Curry.
It was obviously a great experience for Olivari, who reportedly acted a bit like his idol on Friday night. He made 5 of 9 3-point shots, including this one where he made a Curry-style move to the corner for a noticeable look.
It remains to be seen if Olivari will make the Lakers’ opening night roster, but he certainly took advantage of his opportunity by averaging nearly nine points in four games and hitting 8 of 14 three-point shots. . Although his progress in basketball takes him away from the NBA, Olivari will always remember the night he was given to meet the player he emulated as a child.
