Sule Peter Shedrack
Stephen Curry’s Inspirational Influence on the Lakers Rookie…
The Warriors ended an unbeaten 6-0 preseason by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers by 58 points without Stephen Curry playing. One of their rookies, however, was profoundly impacted by him after meeting his “favorite player ever.”
Undrafted rookie guard Quincy Olivari led the Lakers in scoring with 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting and 5-for-9 from three. After the game, he shared a special moment with Curry, who gave him and his game a confidence-boosting compliment.
“It’s crazy because that’s my favorite player ever,” Olivari said, holding back tears in his post-game presser. “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. I had his jersey; he signed it twice. I used to sleep under that jersey. I used to want to be like him so badly.”
Curry continued his conversation with Olivari in the back, giving the rookie something he’d never forget: a signed pair of his shoes.
Olivari shared a collection of photos on his Instagram story, including old pictures of him in a Curry jersey, a video of Curry signing his jersey as a kid and the signed pair of shoes he received on Friday with the caption “Dreams do Come True.”
The 23-year-old rookie remembers watching Curry dating back to the sixth grade, which is a reminder of the 10-time All-Star’s longevity. Curry will begin his 16th NBA season next Wednesday and many of the players he’s impacted are starting to carve their own NBA journeys.
