EL SEGUNDO, CA — With a smile like Magic Johnson’s and the heart of a future champion, Quincy Olivari has what it takes to have a vibrant career in the NBA. Unfortunately, he was recently cut from the Los Angeles and South Bay Lakers rosters. However, Olivari has a great mentality and work ethic that will aid him in continuing his basketball journey.
Olivari has accomplished a few of his goals, including playing on the same roster as LeBron James, meeting his childhood hero Steph Curry, and admiring the greats who came before him, including Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, and the late great Kobe Bryant.
When talking about his admiration for Russell Westbrook, Olivari stresses the contagiousness of his energy: “That energy, the energy is contagious. Energy, as I learned in science class, energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred.” This is not just a clever catchphrase; it’s the basis of Olivari’s philosophy. For him, energy is one of the controllable elements, a secret weapon a team can use to its advantage.
Olivari’s insights go beyond individual pursuits. He belatedly recognizes the importance of collaboration, taking inspiration from two defining moments in Kobe Bryant’s career: “The free throws after he tore his Achilles, and maybe the first championship he won after Shaq.” These moments, Olivari said, mark a significant turning point for Bryant’s mentality. “But when he got power, finally when he came to himself, like, no, I can’t do this on my own, it takes a team effort. And if I have a bunch of guys that wanna work that hard and will listen but wanna play together, it’s unstoppable.“
Those moments signified pivotal points of transformation and realization for Bryant. Olivari admires Bryant’s acknowledgment of teamwork and dedication to the craft. Olivari contends that trust and shared effort are the foundation for collective accomplishments in both moments.
Quincy Olivari sees more to basketball than practice. It is more about the contagious energy he gains from it, reflecting the unstoppable power of a close-knit and excited group of people. His experience, seeing greats like Westbrook and Kobe, has led him to a powerful conclusion: Winning is about more than just individual talent—it’s about the strength that comes from shared energy, commitment to the team, and the belief that anything is possible when you do it together.
