:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67546891/1228759568.jpg.0.jpg)
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, the NBA Finals will kick off between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. For Gonzaga fans, that means it is a chance to root for Kelly Olynyk, who became the fifth Gonzaga product to make it this far in the playoffs.
Olynyk joins John Stockton (of course), Ronny Turiaf, Adam Morrison, and Austin Daye. Interestingly enough, of that list of players, Olynyk has a chance to become just the third Gonzaga player to appear in the NBA Finals. Morrison won two championships as a member of the 2009 and 2010 Lakers and Daye won a title in 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs, yet neither played a minute of basketball during the NBA Finals. Turiaf played three minutes as a member of the 2012 championship Miami Heat team.
Olynyk is averaging 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 19.4 minutes of play this season, largely coming off the bench. He has appeared in 12 of the Heat’s 15 playoff games this season, so there is a very good chance Olynyk will become the third Gonzaga player in history to play in the NBA Finals.