Kamloops-grown NBA star has university number retired

Kelly Olynyk's number was raised to the rafters at his former university last night.

Olynyk grew up in Kamloops, but he spent his collegiate basketball years in Spokane where he played for Gonzaga Bulldogs.

He helped carry the Gonzaga University team to its first ever No. 1 national ranking before his professional career.

The university honoured him last night, Dec. 5, by retiring his number 13 jersey, according to a news release.

Olynyk was born in Toronto and raised in Kamloops, where he went to South Kam Secondary.

He's in his ninth NBA season, averaging 13 points per game. The 6'11" power forward now plays for the Utah Jazz after several trades in his career.

During his collegiate career, he averaged nearly 18 points per game and was named the West Coast Conference player of the year, according to the Gonzaga news release. He also earned the NCAA All-American honour in 2013, among his multiple accolades.

He's the fourth player in the Gonzaga men's basketball program history to have his jersey retired.

Olynyk is also the highest NBA drafted player in the university's history. He was picked 13th overall by the Dallas Mavericks.

Legends Live Forever ?? pic.twitter.com/RBakWWn23h

— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) December 6, 2022

— This story was updated at 12:31 p.m., Dec. 6, 2022, with information about Kelly Olynyk's NBA career.

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