Lachlan Olbrich brings NBL grit to NBA draft journey

• Lachlan Olbrich fought through the NBA G League Elite Camp to get a spot at the NBA Draft Combine
• With standout performances at the NBA Draft Combine, Olbrich shot up draft boards
• He is now expected to be taken the 2nd Round, as per ESPN's latest Mock Draft

The path to the NBA is rarely straightforward. For big man talent Lachlan Olbrich, the whirlwind journey has taken him from winning a championship with Illawarra in March, to the spotlight of the NBA G League Elite Camp and NBA Draft Combine just two months later, where he now stands on the precipice of realising a lifelong dream.

Embracing the Pre-Draft Experience

The NBA Draft process can be overwhelming for many prospects, but Olbrich appears to be taking it all in stride. "I've been loving it," he shares with genuine enthusiasm. "It's just super fun. A new city, new experiences." This positive mindset serves as a foundation as he navigates the complex and often pressure-filled pre-draft circuit.

As the possibility of hearing his name called on draft night inches closer to reality, Olbrich maintains a balanced perspective. "I'm trying to keep like a steady ship," he explains. "The possibility of it happening is getting realer and realer. I'm just trying to stay humble and keep my head down and keep working."

The Support Network

While many prospects actively seek advice from those who have navigated the draft process before them, Olbrich's approach has been more organic. When asked if he's reached out for specific guidance, he notes, "Not really. Lots of people have gone out and wished me luck, and I've had a few ex-teammates that have been in the NBA loop kind of tell me just take it all in, enjoy the process."

Throughout this journey, Olbrich maintains clarity about his fundamental goal: "My individual goal within this whole process is just get better every day, find something and get better with it." This simple yet profound focus on continuous improvement has guided him from Australian courts to the doorstep of the world's premier basketball league.

The NBL Pathway

The NBL has increasingly become a proven pathway to the NBA, with players like Josh Giddey, LaMelo Ball, and Alex Sarr using the league as a springboard to the big time. Olbrich's time at home playing for Adelaide and Illawarra has shaped his development in ways that his one season in college basketball alone might not have.

"NBL is a tough league," Olbrich says. "What do they say? It's not a cupcake league, and that's very real."

For Olbrich, the NBL provided an accelerated learning environment. "Being put in a very tough league, almost thrown in the deep end after my one year of college and kind of just having to adapt," he reflects. "I've learned so much about the game itself and from my peers who I played with. It's kind of just helped me develop as a player."

This "deep end" approach has become a hallmark of Australian basketball development. Rather than sheltering young players, the NBL environment often challenges them with a significant workload, taking on the likes of former NBA players and international stars. This baptism by fire can be transformative for those who rise to the challenge, such as Giddey and Ball.

The transition from the NBL to the NBA Combine environment however presents its own unique challenges for the big man.

"It's a different style of game from what we play in the NBL to what it is over here," Olbrich says.

Rather than attempting to completely reinvent himself for American evaluators, Olbrich is leveraging his NBL experience as a point of differentiation. "I feel like I'm almost bringing a little bit of that NBL play style over here. I'm trying to direct and coach on the court a little bit, as a vocal on-court player."

This leadership quality – the ability to organise and communicate effectively on the court – is highly valued in the modern NBA game.

Yet he's also quick to acknowledge the athletic differences he's observing at the Combine. "Everyone's a lot more athletic. Guys are skillful, very skillful over here. That American guard, very shifty, agile, but everyone can jump through the roof. And I guess that's the main difference compared to the NBL."

The In-Person Advantage

While game film provides valuable information about a player's abilities, there's no substitute for in-person evaluation by NBA scouts. Olbrich hopes the Combine setting allows scouts and executives to see dimensions of his game that might not be immediately apparent on video.

"I think maybe just on an overall basis, I can contribute to success," he suggests when asked what NBA teams might be seeing in person that differs from his NBL footage. "There's stuff in the NBL that I haven't really shown, which I think when you see me in person, I look like I move a little bit better."

This is a crucial insight into the draft process. Players are often typecast based on limited viewing, and the Combine provides an opportunity to demonstrate skills that might have been underutilised in previous settings. For Olbrich, movement quality – fluidity, coordination, and functional athleticism – may be attributes that translate better in person than on film.

Nevertheless, he maintains that authenticity is central to his approach: "I feel like what you see is what you get with me."

"Hopefully just seeing me in person, they like and appreciate what I do a bit more."

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