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For many rookies crossing paths with their basketball idols while on the cusp of navigating through their first season in the NBA, the preseason can be a surreal three-week experience. Steph Curry suffered a finger injury in the preseason, forcing him to miss the Golden State Warriors preseason finale against the Los Angeles Lakers, but caught rookie guard Quincy Olivari going off for 22 points on an efficient 8-for-16 (50%) attempts in Golden State’s 132-74 blowout win. Then, Curry posted a picture of himself with Olivari from Friday’s win to his Instagram account.
“Real as they come,” Curry captioned the picture, which is beyond a meaningful gesture for Quincy, an undrafted rookie who secured a two-way contract following the conclusion of the Lakers’ preseason.
The photo showed the two speaking on the floor moments after the game. After the win, Olivari was asked about his conversation with the four-time champion and grew emotional as he talked about the exchange, per Spectrum Network’s X, formerly Twitter.
“It’s crazy cause I have liked him [Steph Curry] since I was in 6th grade; like, that’s my favorite player ever… I wanted to be like him so bad.”
Curry recognizing who the undrafted rookie was before playing an official NBA game meant a lot to Olivari, who fought back tears while explaining himself.
“The first thing he told me was “I’m a big fan of your game,” and truth be told, I’m a big fan of him,” Olivari said after the game. “I had his jersey. He signed it twice. I used to sleep under that jersey, and I just wanted to be like him so bad. So, just to be able to meet him, him be able to have some respect for me. Then, for us to talk in the back. He gave me a pair of his shoes and signed them. That meant the world to me.
“My dad knows. My mom knows, and I don’t know, man. It just means a lot.”
After head coach Steve Kerr guided Curry and LeBron James, he’s turned all of his focus on his franchise star and the upcoming season.
Stephen Curry’s Warriors season opener status after finger injury
While watching Quincy Olivari, Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry missed the preseason finale, which was a precautionary approach for the 10-time All-Star. After suffering the injury in the Warriors’ 109-106 win against the Sacramento Kings, X-rays were negative on his aggravated finger.
In the Warriors’ front end of a back-to-back set against the Lakers, Curry finished with 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds before watching his team finish its preseason slate with a perfect 5-0 record ahead of the regular season.
