“When I do have the ball in my hands, am I effective? And when I don’t have the ball in my hands, and I still affecting the game?” Going undrafted this year, Quincy Olivari received a saving grace after the Los Angeles Lakers took him in for the Summer League, and then signed him just a couple of weeks ago. Through his remark, the player displayed that he wanted to make the best use of this opportunity handed to him. Sure enough, the recent Lakers-Timberwolves preseason matchup may have laid the foundation for an amazing rookie season to take place over the next few months. If the stats in itself aren’t enough proof, all you need to do is hear the praise from the people around him!

Celebrating the first major win of his coaching career, JJ Redick gave a major shoutout to the younger players who had earned their place on the roster, along with ample rotation minutes. He specifically names the 23-year-old undrafted rookie, stating “Quincy completely changed the game. What he did is the blueprint for what we’re asking for a few of our players.” Highlighting Redick’s remark on his Instagram story, LeBron James added his own remarks alongside them. The 39-year-old went on to state “Yeeeeaaaahhhhh Q!! They know who 41 is now.” Even Gabe Vincent handed out his praise to Olivari and the younger players, stating “Tonight, it was him. And that whole group, you know, they played with a whole lot of energy and effort. It was huge.”

For someone who had gone undrafted, dropping 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists within the span of 9 minutes is no mere feat. Add the fact that the player wasted very few chances, and made 4-6 field goals along with 3-4 three-pointers, and he certainly may have come out as the MVP of the night. Even LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the duo lead scorers for the Lakers last season, were only able to score 11. As Redick and Vincent highlighted, the Bucks really found their most formidable competition amongst the younger roster, as fellow rookie Dalton Knecht and 26-year-old Rui Hachimura added 13 and 14 points respectively to the overall total.

It’s not every day that one goes up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and his squad to secure a 5-point win. Therefore, despite a not-so-good start to his NBA career, Quincy Olivari now has a new tale to tell when revisiting his rookie season many years later.

After having made the decision to sign him up, it was revealed that both Olivari and Kylor Kelley have been taken in under an Exhibition 10 contract. This means that both players were set to only be part of the Lakers training camp and preseason roster. If the remaining games before the regular season show that they are not good enough to make the main roster, then they will most likely be shifted to the G League affiliate, South Bay Lakers, for the current season. Having averaged 5.8 points and 1.8 rebounds during the Summer League, it seemed like Olivari may have been heading to the South Bay Lakers itself. Until now.

Even though the Lakers-Bucks matchup was just one game, it gave the player an understanding of what to focus on going forward.

Quincy Olivari proves LeBron James wrong by putting his ‘energy’ to the forefront

After having heard from JJ Redick and Gabe Vincent, it was time to talk to the man of the game himself. When asked about the thoughts that were going through him when making the back-to-back 3s and putting up a noticeable defense, Quincy Olivari stated, “Just keep going. I hold my head high on the fact that I’m an energy guy, and I like to make sure that everytime I’m in, I give the most positive energy I can.”

Having not secured a good average during the first two preseason games, Olivari realized that his energy ‘dwindled’ during the later part of the game. Therefore, he decided to put it all during one segment of the game. Lo and behold, the result of it is in front of everyone.

Ironically, Olivari’s remarks are a complete contrast to what LeBron James himself said in the aftermath of the previous game. After losing to the Suns by 118-114, the 39-year-old took a shot at the younger squad by stating, “You guys know my energy level. I have a lot more energy than a lot of the young guys. I boost their energy up if you want me to be completely honest.” While LeBron may not take his statement back, he may have made amends by sending his praise to Olivari through Instagram.

What are your expectations for Quincy Olivari during the remaining preseason games? Do you think he has the potential to make the main squad? Let us know in the comments down below.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.