Passion, discipline, and courage transform a young gifted kid with a disability into Lachlan Olbrich, the face of special Olympic Australian basketball. Olbrich has been through a lot of ups and downs during his basketball journey so far. Even after the abrupt death of his dad, he exudes amazing drive and focus. He’s considered a great prospect for the Chicago Bulls going into his rookie season in the league. This all comes in the wake of an eye-catching showing at the NBA Draft Combine.
Olbrich’s path to success was not without trials. Throughout his last season, he experienced up-and-down minutes leading to some volatile production. Under these hurdles, he was still determined not to lose sight of perfecting his craft. Olbrich struggled to establish a defined role on Justin Tatum’s team, yet he persevered, embodying the spirit of resilience.
In 2011, tragedy struck when Olbrich unexpectedly lost his father, Greg. He later died unexpectedly from an acute cardiac arrest at a community basketball match in his hometown of Adelaide. This sudden and serious loss hit Olbrich hard and he wanted to do something special in remembrance of his father. He did pick a new jersey number—47, a number that had great significance to both him and his family.
“With our dad, No. 47 would always pop up for him,” Olbrich said. “I thought it’d be my way of saying he’s always with me when I’m playing.”
Prior to coming to the NBA, Olbrich played with the Illawarra Hawks in the National Basketball League (NBL) for two seasons. His consistent performance and unique skill set positioned him as one of the headliners at the G-League Elite Camp, despite not being initially invited to the NBA Draft Combine. His remarkable showing at the Combine, where he led all participants in every statistical category—including rebounds—caught the attention of multiple teams.
On draft night, the Chicago Bulls made a trade to get Olbrich with the 55th overall pick. This major milestone proved to be the catalyst that launched his professional career. He signed a two-way deal, allowing him to spend time with the Windy City Bulls.
During the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Olbrich averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, demonstrating his potential to contribute at a higher level. As he prepares for his NBA rookie season, the son of former No. This is an invaluable skill to have in today’s game of basketball.
“Just spacing the floor, keep being that connector guy,” Olbrich shared about his goals as he transitions into the NBA.
He is currently training in Melbourne this offseason with fellow Aussie Josh Giddey. Olbrich’s ambitious enough and a long shot, he hopes to be one of the final 15 players on the Bulls’ regular season roster. His game goes well beyond that and he’s far from a one-dimensional pick-and-roll player.
This sense of responsibility is compounded by Olbrich’s commitment to honing his craft. He defines the grind as an unwavering commitment to daily, dogged practice while staying psychologically tough, through highs and lows.
“Have your team manager open the gym early. Get in an hour before practice, stay an hour after practice. Keep working on your game,” he advised.
A commitment to continuous improvement speaks to Olbrich’s statement that success grows out of a willingness to embrace adversity.
“Facing adversity is definitely a way to get better at facing adversity,” he explained.
Leave a Reply