Miami Heat center Kelly Olynyk is one of the many former Gonzaga Bulldogs to excel at the NBA level. Could former Gonzaga forward and current 2019 NBA Draft prospect Rui Hachimura be the next?
Well, Olynyk certainly thinks it might be possible.
“His athleticism is going to translate,” Olynyk recently said of Hachimura, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “His physical abilities, they're going to translate.”
While it remains to be seen as to exactly where Hachimura ultimately lands upon officially making his way to the professional ranks of the NBA, his size and athleticism will surely allow him to help a franchise right off the bat.
“Right now,” Olynyk added, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “he shoots a lot of mid-range stuff. In the NBA, that's not the way the NBA is going. But he can get to the rim. He can post up. He's quick, athletic. He'll build his skills and build his repertoire. And I think any time you have that frame and that athletic ability, you have something to work with.”
The 28-year-old Olynyk is currently gearing up for his third go-round as a member of the Heat.
Prior to his arrival in Miami ahead of the 2017-18 campaign, the seven-foot big man notably suited up for the Boston Celtics to begin his NBA tenure.
Spending his first four professional seasons in Boston with the Celtics, Olynyk was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft.
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