Lakers Signing Big East Scoring Leader Quincy Olivari

June 27, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers are signing undrafted Xavier guard Quincy Olivari to an Exhibit 10 contract for training camp, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Olivari is 6-foot-3 and averaged 19.1 points to lead the Big East in scoring with the Musketeers this past season. He also collected 5.6 rebounds per game.

“In Xavier’s season-ending first-round NIT loss to Georgia, Olivari set the school record for 3-pointers in a season, knocking down 106 triples in 34 games,” wrote Shelby Dermer of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“Olivari was an honorable mention all-conference selection and was later named second-team All-District 5 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Additionally, he was selected to the Division I East All-Star team for the 2024 NABC-Reese’s Division I College All-Star Game in Phoenix.”

This was a smaller signing in an otherwise fairly big week for the Lakers, beginning with the hiring of former NBA shooting guard JJ Redick as coach. They also selected Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and Bronny James with the No. 55 pick. James, of course, is the son of Lakers star LeBron James.

Needless to say, LeBron was said to be highly emotional after the Lakers made the pick.

“I wouldn’t be able to handle the scrutiny and all the things that he got going on at his age, at his level, with social media,” LeBron said on his podcast with Redick. “Like I didn’t have social media to deal with when I came in at 18. I did have a lot of scrutiny. I did have a lot of things that was put on my shoulders, but I didn’t have every single day, around-the-clock news coverage, sports shows, things talking about this particular person every single day.

“Or you go online or on social media and X and Instagram and everyone can comment, every single day, about whatever they wanna say. I didn’t have to deal with that. And to see him handle it with such class and just like self-awareness and just staying even-keeled is just a remarkable thing man. And super proud of him.”