Great New Olynyk Article

[SLOZag]

Includes the following:

“I put on a lot of weight earlier, and most recently I’ve slimmed down a little so as to have more endurance and be able to be out there running harder for a lot longer,” said Olynyk. “Obviously I’d like to play more than I did in my first two seasons, but it’s up to me to go out and earn that floor time.”

...

“We think we’re going to have a real good team again this year. Having been out on the floor with him (Karnowski), I can tell you he’s got a great body for the game, he’s not a stiff at all. He’s huge, I’d say between 7-1 and 7-2, and he’s got a great pair of hands and can go right or left with no trouble.

“He seems to be a really nice guy so he’s really going to help our team. We’re definitely going to have the talent again this year, it’s just a matter of what kind of team we become.”


Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Ga...#ixzz28OYNNNKX

[ZagNative]

Very nice. Thanks!

[sittingon50]

Thanks SLO.

[3XaZag]

Kelly is the guy I am most looking forward to seeing

There is so much to look forward to this year...and so many unknowns..

.... How high is Harris' ceiling? Final year...time to leave it all on the floor.

... What will a years experience, & practice/play from the beginning of the year mean for Edi's game?

... Is everything we have been hearing about Dranganis translate to impact on the court? What will a 3 man with a dead eye mean for this team? Can he demonstrate a well rounded game?

... Will Karno be the difference between a first weekend out in the Tourney and a second weekend or even beyond? God knows that none of us can wait to see this guy play.

... What will more minutes for Dower mean? ...How will his defense improve?

... and lets not even start to discuss Pangos and Bell with a year under their belts.

All of these are exciting ...and enough to drool over with anticipation. Yet my biggest wish and hope this year is for Kelly. He had many, many impressive moments his first two years, lots of talent and lots of expectations.... and I am sure that taking the redshirt was hard to do. Yet he was smart enough to realize it was right for him and the program. I know he will be the same player in many ways, but I look forward to all the little differences that have changed for him in the 19 months since we last saw him in a game uni that can mean big changes in his game. He moved well, but was awkward around the basket. Will that have disappered? Will just a slightly higher percentage of his shots fall? (if so ... he will be invaluable). Has his defense improved to the point where he might be a consistent shot block threat? No one deserves it more Kelly...go out and make it happen!!! And thanks for what has looked like a great attitude....keep it up!!!

[roxdoc]

+1

[cjm720]

Love Kelly's game. I want to see some nasty dunks; he needs to get a mean streak, and I hope he has it in him.

[IrishZag]

Mallon Syndrome

When I saw some video of Kelly at the Canada camp I thought to myself, wow he got bulky.

His comment of slimming down got me to thinking about Sean Mallon. When Mallon came to campus the coaches had him eating non-stop to gain weight. They said... if you want to play DI ball you got to bulk up. Well by the time Jr. and Sr. years rolled around Mallon was so bulked up he had lost all the explosion that made him a dominant springy athlete in high school. He was still an effective and heady player but he had grown beyond his bodies ability to effectively maximize the weight he had.

Hopefully Kelly has found the right balance, but he is at least 60 pounds heavier than what we saw him at his Freshman year.

[Reborn]

A very nice thread. I too like Kelly alot. Im also very excited to see him play again. My biggest impression of him is how he cheered on the bench last year. He was the team's #1 cheerleader. He could have sat quietly on the bench sulking all year long, but he chose to be a GREAT supporter of the team instead. I hope that all the goodness that he put out to the team last year produces good Karma this year. There is so much talent on this team.

I like what Kelly said about how he wants to play more, but that he knows that he must do what is necessary to win those minutes on playing time. More than any year I've known since I've been a member of the board, I think this is true for alot of players. I just hope that those who do not get the big minutes, either starting or coming off the bench, have the attitude that Kelly had last year.

[zagfan24]

Some really good posts in this thread.

I agree 100% with IrishZag about players bulking up. Getting stronger is one thing, but a lot of players at the college and pro level put on weight that doesn't match their game. What makes Kelly special is the agility, shooting touch, etc. all together in a 7 ft. frame.

I also think Reborn is spot on re: KO's approach to his year off. Not only did it speak to his general character, but suggests he was focused in on the game and thus was learning throughout. Sitting back and watching can be invaluable...especially when you have a couple of years of experience that you are drawing on while observing. It's a pretty rare scenario, and I feel like KO has the chance to thrive as a result.

Mark Few may have his work cut out for him finding minutes for all of the big men this year; but I feel like it gives the Zags the luxury to bring Karnowski along slowly and match up with other teams as needed.

[Zag Man]

A nice article on a great student-athlete!

This is a nice article on Kelly Olynyk, who has been one of my favorite players since the first time he stepped on the court as a collegiate freshman. I believe Kelly did the right thing red-shirting to accustom himself to his new body. I expect Kelly will be a dominant player this year because he has a great skill set. He can dribble the ball, is a wonderful passer, and can make the open shot. I’m assuming he has learned how to play with his back to the basket during the past red-shirt year, and with that added to his arsenal, he’s going to be a load for anybody to defend!

I also believe Kelly will make Poland’s Przemek Karnowski an even better player, since he will take a lot of the pressure off of him, especially early in the season. I believe Przemek can become a legacy in Gonzaga basketball if he plays the way people are talking about him, and he stays the course and finishes his career at Gonzaga. He’s going to have to love the school and this team like a Ronnie Turiaf did in order for him to stay and establish that legacy in Gonzaga lore! I look forward to seeing the beginning of that legacy as he progresses during this season!

[Virginia Zags Fan]

I am very excited to see Kelly play this year. He was already a very smart, good passing big guy who saw the floor well. Last year, he kept the stats and it was mentioned that he was starting to look at the game from a coach's perspective. I think this will be invaluable to his game. Understanding what the defense is doing and how you should attack it is so huge.

Just can't wait for the season to start to see the guys play again!