From going undrafted in the 2020 NBA roster to making it to the LA Lakers in 2024, this 26-year-old 7 feet towering figure has taken the maxim of onwards and upwards true to its word. We are talking about Kylor Kelley, the newly signed up Lakers power forward center who was a force to reckon with at the NBA G League All Defensive Team this year. We know how much the Lakers love their centerpieces and it just seems that his tactical lead from the front caught the eyes of the roster drafters and the next thing you know he’s in! But is it what we think it is – no tradeoffs, no more staying undrafted – a free pass to the team? Well, as of now he has been inducted into the training camp roster along with 21 others, but if you know even a little bit about Kelley – you know he’s mastered the art of sticking around to the very end.

They say sport runs in the genes! Well, if you are someone like Kelley, you wouldn’t want to disagree. He was introduced to the tactics of dribble, scoot and shoot at the prime age of six by his mother, a former high school player whom he grew up watching with the ball across the court. Kelley’s father, Jeff, played college basketball for Boise State. His mother, Shandel Howell, had intended to play the same sport for Utah State before its women’s induction program was struck down by the university. But she ignited the flare in her keen son by becoming not only his first coach but also his first guide and mentor.

At seven, after his parents split, Kelley shifted with his mother and brother from Utah to Oregon. It was here that Kelley fueled his competitive spark for the sport transferring from the hoop in the backyard of his Utah home to the varsity basketball court in Gervais High School in Oregon. This was the time when Kelley grew his confidence and also his height from 6’1 to an impressive 7’0.

According to Trevor Lane of the Lakers Nation : “Kelley played in the Maine Celtics last year and brought a whopping 2.9 blocks per game to go along with 6 point rebound. He’s a true 7 footer but is only listed at 215 pounds. Not necessarily the big physical presence in the play that the Lakers have been looking for  this summer. That being said Kelley can set a pretty good screen on top role and is definitely a wall in the rim with matchless ferocity.”

Here’s what the Lakers post read:

Having heard what the buzz is all about, let’s take a deeper dive into our 7 foot leading player’s life and unravel the mystery of what made him stand out so tall at the hardcourt, both literally and metaphorically!

From the ins and outs to making it to NBA – What a roller coaster it has turned out to be!

Gervais had found a newly discovered talent spring! The Utah bred 7 feet promising player did not disappoint the team and averaged 15.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, 7.8 blocks and 2.4 assists per game bagging the PacWest Player of the Year. He went on to a record setting spree with the school’s career, single-season and single-game records for blocks.  There was definitely potential and also the promise to deliver. Although Kelley couldn’t make it to the team in the four-year colleges as a result of which he had no NCAA Division I offers out of high school, he decided to bury the disappointment and began afresh by playing college basketball for Northwest Christian University. The decision worked its magic. As a freshman, Kelley averaged 8.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 blocks per game and forged ahead to set a school single-game record with 10 blocks against Southern Oregon. An impressive feat no doubt, but after 10 games, he was dismissed from Bushnell.

So you see, the hooper had quite a roller coaster ride. But every time he was knocked down, he managed a way to get back onto the saddle and get a firm hold of the reins. Continuing his streak with the Oregon State because he wanted to stay close to home, Kelley went on to become the State’s all-time leader in blocks in a historic 2020 victory over Stanford, during which he posted 10 points, seven blocks and six rebounds. Kelley finished his senior season averaging 11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.45 blocks per game, earning Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors for the second time in a row.

Kelley was waived by the San Antonio Spurs and the Boston Celtics, before he tried his luck with the Maine Celtics and got onboard. But it was his entry into the Lakers that put him at the centerpiece of attention. The Lakers put their faith on this athletic shot blocking machine who knows how to carefully rebound around the rim. The Lakers have not yet disclosed the type of contract Kelly or Olivari have signed, but ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports that they are both Exhibit 10 deals.

By seeing the potential in Kelley, the Lakers have shown that they have something brewing and are not just sitting idly. Acknowledging that they have their task cut out for the upcoming season. All hopes are now on the power packed promising player to give the Lakers the agility and finesse of the center piece they had been looking for all this while. Do share your thoughts on Kelley and if his talent will find the perfect fit with the team and is the missing puzzle piece, the Lakers are in need of as things stand at the moment.