Stephen Curry didn’t play in the Warriors’ 58-point victory over the Los Angeles Lakers to cap an undefeated 6-0 preseason. Still, he left a lasting impact on one of their rookies, who got to meet 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.”
Quincy Olivari got emotional talking about meeting his idol, Stephen Curry. pic.twitter.com/fnMjI3Mfl1
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 19, 2024
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.