LeBron James might have had his own agenda for staying in the league at almost 40. But that’s a win-win situation for not only Adam Silver. Even the young talents in the NBA are beneficiaries of LeBron’s presence around the NBA.

One of them is from the Lakers’ own backyard in the G League. Quincy Olivari, who created a wave during the pre-season with his viral Stephen Curry interaction, let the world know about his fanboyism for the Dubs star. “First thing he told was ‘I am a big fan of your game and truth to be told, I am a big of him. I had his jersey, he signed it twice,” Olivari said after the Lakers’ preseason game against the Warriors. “I used to sleep under that jersey and I want to be like him so bad.” But as it turned out, he is also a huge LeBron fan. Can’t blame the 23-year-old, but the fandom can be attributed to his grandfather.

Recently, a video uploaded by GTV Hoops is making rounds on the internet featuring the South Bay Lakers star. LeBron James became a point of discussion and his revelation was certainly a wholesome one. When the host of the Q&A highlighted a special childhood memory of Olivari, he confirmed the tale. “That’s crazy. My grandfather gave me that fathead, and I had that on my wall for a long time. I seen him play in Miami. I saw him play in Cleveland.” Now he sees that same man from the poster every day at the Lakers facility. That’s how crazy Quincy’s journey has been. He is also looking to come up with an exclusive connection with the NBA icon.

“I actually told him last game. I said, we gotta get our handshake. He said, yes. So Imma cook that up. I should have some by the time I see him again tomorrow,” Olivari concluded.

Olivari is currently lighting up the G League with 23 points per game. His 5.3 rebounds and 6 assists per game are also encouraging the Lakers nation to demand his call-up to the main roster. He also discussed his LA experience so far in the same episode of Certified G’s on Tubi. “I was telling one of the security guards yesterday, like, the first few days or so when I was at the facility and seeing everybody, it was like, oh, snap. That’s Bron. That’s AD. But I’ve been here. Like, that’s my coworker,” he said.

From being an undrafted talent to challenging the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis has been nothing short of inspirational. His grit and determination didn’t go unnoticed as LeBron too kept an eye on his progress.

LeBron James is expecting big things from Quincy Olivari

When Quincy made his appearance on the Lakers media day and posed for a picture with LeBron, the world took notice. The fans started asking who exactly the number 41 was? They had their answer soon when Olivari lit up the preseason with his skills. LeBron also gave a shout-out to the youngster on Instagram and wrote, “They know who 41 is now.”

The constant communication with Olivari at the Lakers facility has helped LeBron pass his wisdom onto the new blood. The guard recently revealed what LeBron told him about leadership. “One of the first things is to take advantage of your breaks. But just most importantly, just to lead, make sure your guys are organized and when we out there, put them in position because people are gonna look to me, I know what I’m talking about as far as the setup of the offense. And as long as I’m respectful, people will listen.”

With his current form and the Lakers’ injury troubles, his case for making the roster is probably bolstered. But with his attitude and coachability, that reward may come sooner rather than later. After all, that’s the advantage of having two of the best in the game as your childhood heroes.