Quincy Olivari might be the best story in the NBA

Three weeks ago, few NBA fans knew about Quincy Olivari, an unpopular rookie who had played five years of college basketball between Rice and Xavier. In fact, his anonymity is what caused him to catch the virus.

But fast forward to the end of the preseason and he’s far from unknown. Before the regular season, Olivari was signed by the Lakers to a two-way contract, a well-earned salary for someone who quickly became a beloved friend.

On the court, he has done more than enough to be loved by Lakers Nation. He helped the team secure their first win of the season with a wild comeback in Milwaukee. Then, in the end against Golden State, it was one of the only bright spots for the Lakers team that rested most of their team.

But off the court, Olivari has also quickly established himself as one of the healthiest players in the NBA. Whether it was bringing his offer to scouts or meeting one of his childhood idols, every story about Olivari paints a picture of one of the healthiest players ever. the best in the NBA.

However, to begin with, let’s go back to his time at Xavier, just to show that he has always been like that. Olivari held an autograph contest and, after a mistake meant that one of the winners would not receive their prize, he went ahead with it.

While Olivari was grinding his way to the NBA, he had a very unusual style. When he met with scouts and teams, Olivari took with him a copy of his resume because, in his words, this was a job interview.

Once he arrived in the NBA with the Lakers, Olivari had perhaps his most viral moment during Media Day. Behind the TV shoot, Olivari could be seen taking a selfie with LeBron James.

Still anonymous at the time, it prompted a direct question on Twitter, “Who tf is #41?”

As you might expect, Olivari took the idea seriously, embracing the jokes and memes himself.

The moment that probably resonated with most fans, however, came late in the preseason against the Warriors when Olivari met Steph Curry pregame. By this time, Olivari had made enough waves that players around the league had taken notice, including Steph, who was one of Olivari’s favorite players growing up.

As a child, Olivari had a Warriors jersey signed by Steph. So, when the two of them met as peers during the preseason, it struck a different note for Olivari, who expressed his feelings talking about the second of the game.

Throughout this season, Olivari impressed enough in games and practice to allow the Lakers to let Colin Castleton sign Olivari to a two-way contract.

Seeing anyone fulfill their NBA dream is a joy to watch, but especially for someone like Olivari, who is quickly establishing himself as one of the best players imaginable, not just the NBA.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.