Kelly Olynyk (C/F, Boston Celtics), Canada
Height: 2.13m, 7-foot | Weight: 108kg, 283 pounds | Born: 19 April, 1991
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A rookie comes into the league with tons of potential, but gets off to a rocky start. If Kelly Olynyk's story ended there, it'd hardly be worth reading. Luckily, it doesn't.
Though Olynyk thrilled at 2013 NBA Summer League, he fizzled once the regular season got underway, struggling defensively and averaging only four points per game in October. To make matters worse, a November ankle injury sidelined him for 10 games.
But Olynyk didn't just heal, he came back a new man. In the second half of the season, Olynyk surged, playing more minutes with more confidence. In April, the 13th overall draft pick averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on a 54.7% shooting game. And on 14 April, he recorded a season-high 28 points and nine rebounds against the Sixers.
If he can stay in form, tighten up his defensive game and lock down his shooting in the post, he could not only be a weapon for the Celtics but a highly sought after Big Man, just like his idol: Dirk Nowitzki.
Key Stats
2013-14 Season: GP: 70 | MP: 20.0 | PTS: 8.7 | REB: 5.2 | AST: 1.6 | FG%: 46.6%
Season Highlight: Olynyk recorded three double-doubles: 25 points and 12 rebounds against Cleveland on 12 April, 15 points and 10 rebounds against San Antonio on 12 February and 14 points and 11 rebounds against Milwaukee on 10 February.
Achievements/Awards
* NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2014)
Five Things To Know
1. Olynyk's mother was women's basketball referee and scorekeeper for the Toronto Raptors. His father was the head basketball coach at the University of Toronto (1989-2002) and Canada's junior men's national team (1983-1996). (per SI.com)
2. Olynyk trained to be a point guard, but in grade 11, he went from being 6-foot-3 (1.90m) to 6-foot-10 (2.08m), and swithched to being a forward. (SI.com)
3. He graduated with a 3.53 GPA and degree in accounting from Gonzaga.
4. He played for Canada during the 2010 FIBA World Championships when he was 19 years old.
5. In high school, he played American football and was his team's quarterback.
Check out Olynyk's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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