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Lachlan Olbrich

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Lachlan Olbrich
No. 30 – Illawarra Hawks
PositionPower forward / center
LeagueNBL
Personal information
Born (2003-12-30) 30 December 2003 (age 20)
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Listed height208 cm (6 ft 10 in)
Listed weight107 kg (236 lb)
Career information
High schoolReynella East College
(Adelaide, South Australia)
CollegeUC Riverside (2022–2023)
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021BA Centre of Excellence
2021–2022Southern Tigers
2021–2022Adelaide 36ers
2023West Adelaide Bearcats
2023–presentIllawarra Hawks
2024Canterbury Rams
Career highlights and awards

Lachlan Olbrich (born 30 December 2003) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL). In 2022, he was named in the NBL1 Central All-Star Five playing for the Southern Tigers. After a season of college basketball in the United States for UC Riverside, he returned to the NBL1 Central in 2023 and helped the West Adelaide Bearcats win the championship while earning grand final MVP and All-Star Five honours. He joined the Illawarra Hawks for the 2023–24 NBL season and then had a championship-winning season with the Canterbury Rams in the 2024 New Zealand NBL season. With the Rams, he was named grand final MVP, league MVP and All-Star Five.

Early life and career

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Olbrich was born Adelaide, South Australia.[1] He grew up playing basketball with his older brother Mitchell and his father Greg.[2] He attended Reynella East College in Adelaide, where he played basketball and volleyball.[3] He represented South Australia at national basketball championships in 2020 and 2021.[3]

In 2021, Olbrich played one game for the BA Centre of Excellence in the Waratah League and two games for the Southern Tigers in the NBL1 Central.[4]

In October 2021, Olbrich signed with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL) as a development player for the 2021–22 season.[5] He appeared in three games for the 36ers during the season.[4]

Olbrich re-joined the Southern Tigers of the NBL1 Central for the 2022 season. He was named to the All-Star Five[6] and won the Frank Angove Award as the league's best under 23 player.[7] In 12 games, he averaged 19.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.[4]

College career

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Olbrich moved to the United States to play college basketball for the UC Riverside Highlanders of the Big West Conference in the 2022–23 season.[8] He averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He was subsequently named Big West Freshman of the Year and earned All-Big West Honorable Mention honours.[1][3] He became just the second Big West Freshman of the Year in UC Riverside history.[9]

Professional career

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Olbrich returned to the NBL1 Central and joined the West Adelaide Bearcats for the 2023 season. He was once again named to the All-Star Five and won his second Frank Angove Award.[10] He helped the Bearcats reach the NBL1 Central grand final, where they defeated the Forestville Eagles 106–95 to win the championship behind Olbrich's 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. He was subsequently named grand final MVP.[11] In 18 games, he averaged 21.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.[4]

On 4 April 2023, Olbrich signed a three-year deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the NBL.[12] He had a breakout showing in the pre-season NBL Blitz but struggled early in the regular season. Upon coach Justin Tatum taking over midway through the season, Olbrich went on to prove himself as a capable back-up for captain Sam Froling.[13] In 31 games in the 2023–24 NBL season, he averaged 3.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.[4] Following his first NBL season, he had hopes of declaring for the 2025 NBA draft.[14]

Olbrich joined the Canterbury Rams of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) for the 2024 season.[15] On the day he debuted for the Rams on 27 March,[2] he was informed that his father had died in South Australia. He subsequently returned home for an extended period.[16] In his first game back with the Rams in late April, he scored a season-high 35 points against the Hawke's Bay Hawks.[2][17] He helped the Rams finish top of the competition with a 17–3 record that included a 16-game winning streak.[18] For the season, he was named the New Zealand NBL Most Valuable Player alongside All-Star Five, Most Outstanding Forward and Youth Player of the Year.[19][20] In the semi-final, Olbrich had 22 points and 16 rebounds and made the game-winning layup with seconds left in a 112–111 double-overtime win over the Taranaki Airs.[21][22] In the grand final, he had 29 points, 18 rebounds and six assists to lead the Rams to a 102–87 victory over the Auckland Tuatara to win the championship.[18][23] Olbrich was named grand final MVP.[24]

Olbrich entered the 2024–25 NBL season after a standout NBL Blitz pre-season tournament with the Hawks, demonstrating his potential in front of NBA scouts.[25]

Personal life

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Olbrich's father, Greg Olbrich, was a figure in South Australian basketball and had won the most valuable player in the South Australian State League in 1995.[2][26] Greg died in March 2024 at age 51 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a social basketball game.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Under the radar: Olbrich primed for monster NBL24". Hawks.com.au. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Egan, Brendon (20 July 2024). "Canterbury Rams' Australian standout Lachlan Olbrich thrives through adversity". The Press. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Lachlan Olbrich". UC Riverside Highlanders. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Lachlan Olbrich". Australiabasket.com. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Adelaide 36ers sign local talent Olbrich to DP contract". Adelaide36ers.com.au. 15 October 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Your 2022 NBL1 Central Men's All Star Five". facebook.com/nbl1central. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Congratulations to Lachlan Olbrich on winning the 2022 NBL1 Central Frank Angove Award". facebook.com/nbl1central. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  8. ^ Badkin, Liam (29 November 2022). "Olbrich ostensibly on the right path". central.rookieme.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  9. ^ "The Big West Unveils 2022-23 Men's Basketball All-Conference Team, Major Awards and Specialty Awards". Big West Conference. 6 March 2023. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  10. ^ "2023 NBL1 Awards Tracker". NBL1.com.au. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  11. ^ Badkin, Liam (14 August 2023). "Olbrich owns big stage with damaging decider". central.rookieme.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Hawks Secure Aussie College Talent". NBL.com.au. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  13. ^ Latifi, Agron (3 March 2024). "'I can't wait to see the WEC packed': Olbrich ahead of Hawks v Breakers nailbiter". Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  14. ^ Bruce, Jasper (26 February 2024). "Hawks' Olbrich poised to shoot NBA shot in 2025". Illawarra Mercury. Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Rams Land Star Australian Prospect Lachlan Olbrich". canterburyrams.basketball. 24 January 2024. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024.
  16. ^ Findlater, Gordon (20 June 2024). "Basketball: Aussie Lachlan Olbrich overcomes devastating debut to inspire flawless Canterbury Rams NBL run". Newshub. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  17. ^ "CASEY'S CORNER: ROUND 5". nznbl.basketball. 14 April 2024. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024.
  18. ^ a b Chapman, Greg (28 July 2024). "Canterbury Rams overcome Tuatara for back-to-back NBL crowns". 1 News. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  19. ^ "2024 SAL'S NBL AWARDS WINNERS REVEALED". nznbl.basketball. 24 July 2024. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024.
  20. ^ Seconi, Adrian (26 July 2024). "Aussie named league's most valuable player". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  21. ^ "FINAL 6 CANTERBURY VS TARANAKI – RAMS WIN EPIC DOUBLE OVERTIME SEMI-FINAL". nznbl.basketball. 21 July 2024. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Rams Survive Double-OT Classic And Advance To Grand Final". canterburyrams.basketball. 23 July 2024. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  23. ^ Egan, Brendon (29 July 2024). "Back-to-back NBL champion Canterbury Rams set up for sustained success". The Press. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024.
  24. ^ "CANTERBURY RAMS ARE BACK-TO-BACK SAL'S NBL CHAMPIONS". nznbl.basketball. 28 July 2024. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  25. ^ Hooley, Pete (16 September 2024). "The Fab Five: Pre-season standouts". NBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Greg Olbrich, gentle giant, gone at 51". botinagy.com. 28 March 2024. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024.
  27. ^ Latifi, Agron (29 March 2024). "Hawks mourn shock on-court death of Lachlan Olbrich's dad". Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024.
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