Louis Olinde works out for three NBA teams and secures Summer League spot / News - Basketnews.com

Louis Olinde is hopeful of securing an NBA contract this offseason after working out for the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers.

Credit: DPA/picture-alliance - Scanpix Credit DPA/picture-alliance - Scanpix

When Mike Schmitz was once far from the role of assistant GM for the Portland Trail Blazers, he was traveling through basketball destinations in Europe as a representative of Draft Express. During one of his visits, he came across a German prospect named Louis Olinde.

Louis Olinde

Team:ALBA BerlinPosition:SF, PFAge:25Height:205 cmWeight:92 kgBirth place:Hamburg, GermanyProfileNewsStatistics

At the end of the interview, Schmitz asked Olinde, 'Where do you see yourself in five years?'

Olinde smiled widely before giving his answer.

"Oh, in the NBA. That's my big goal. I want to play minutes in the NBA, carve out a role for myself, and make a name in the league," shared the ambitious 20-year-old at that time.

Five years later, Olinde is spreading his wings and heading to the United States to fulfill his dreams.

Having spent the last three years with ALBA Berlin, the young forward began his journey in America with a stint at the Golden State Warriors camp. Currently, he is making his mark in Oklahoma City, and later he will move to Portland for workouts.

According to BasketNews sources, Olinde plans to represent the Phoenix Suns in the Las Vegas Summer League, aiming for that coveted NBA contract.

Some big EuroLeague teams are also interested in Olinde, but there is confidence in his camp that his next career destination will be the NBA.

"Sure, I hope there's a chance. I'm pretty confident there's a chance this summer," Olinde assessed his chances of playing in the NBA next season.

"I believe I had a good year in Europe, and I think my game and the role I can play transfer well to the NBA. It only takes one coach or GM who really wants you and appreciates your game. The chances are always there. I'll see what happens this summer, and I'm truly excited," added Olinde.

Olinde, who stands at 2.05 m tall (6'9"), showcased career-high numbers in every statistical category.

In 27 EuroLeague games last season, he averaged 8.1 points (59.1% 2P, 39.1% 3P), 4.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and a performance index rating (PIR) of 10.0 in nearly 22 minutes per game.

2-pointers this season

55%27,6Points made:27,6Accuracy:55,1%Place in standings:26Record max:41Record min:19Most made 2FGs:Damian LillardTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

Olinde fits the profile of a modern 3-and-D player.

He excels in isolation defense, allowing only 0.68 points per possession in EuroLeague. Offensively, he demonstrates effectiveness in off-ball situations, including cuts (1.4 points per possession) or catch-and-shoot scenarios (1.3 PPP).

Within the ALBA team, Olinde boasted the third-best +/- rating per 100 possessions.

Having learned valuable lessons from former teammates such asNicolo MelliandNikos Zisisand being coached byAndrea TrinchieriandAito Garcia Reneses, Olinde has begun showcasing his potential at the highest level.

"I would say gaining a lot of experience has helped me to make the game slower in my mind. This helps me a lot," Olinde responded when asked about his biggest growth over the past five years in EuroLeague.

"Obviously, my shooting has improved significantly over the years, allowing me to space the floor and become a threat from the outside. I believe these are the two main aspects of my game that have truly improved over time," he added.

Olinde is a big NBA fan. He admires the conditions provided to NBA players and believes their input is crucial to the league's development.

If he could, he would bring NBA-sized court dimensions to Europe to have more space for cutting, one-on-one plays, and tougher defensive helps.

"I think it's fun to watch basketball on a little bit bigger court. That would be cool in Europe," Olinde remarked.

If all NBA teams played simultaneously, Olinde would seek out theLos Angeles Lakersgames broadcast.

"I've always been a Lakers fan. Growing up, I was a Kobe fan," he explained.

Maybe in the near future,Marcus Eriksson, with whom Olinde would have much to discuss NBA basketball, or his close friends, teammates, ALBA, and other European basketball fans, will also have the opportunity to watch Olinde compete in the strongest basketball league through NBA TV.

If Olinde had been able to invite one player from the Golden State Warriors during his time in Oakland, seeking advice for his pursuit, his choice would have been quite original.

"The obvious answer would be Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, maybe Draymond Green. But I would personally choose Andre Iguodala," Olinde shared with BasketNews.

"I believe I could learn the most from him. He's a veteran who has played in the NBA for 14 years. His playing style is similar to mine. He's a great defender, a versatile player, and can guard multiple positions. Offensively, he's not the guy who scores 25-30 points, but he knows what he's doing and does it at a very high level."

"One thing I would ask him is how you find your role and establish yourself, maybe not being the primary offensive threat like other NBA players?"

This summer, Louis Olinde will provide his own answer to NBA coaches.

Olinde's EuroLeague stats

MIN 2P M/A 3P M/A FT M/A REB AS ST TO PTS EFF GM 22/23 ALBA Berlin 21:48 59.1%52/88 39.1%25/64 79.6%39/49 4.33.1/1.2 1.1 0.6 1.1 8.1 10 27 » 21/22 ALBA Berlin 17:12 51.7%30/58 35.7%15/42 85.2%23/27 3.62.5/1.2 0.7 0.3 0.6 5.3 7.2 24 » 20/21 ALBA Berlin 15:33 41.7%25/60 35.7%15/42 65%13/20 2.71.6/1.1 0.2 0.5 0.8 4.3 3 25 » 17/18 Brose Bamberg 7:12 66.7%16/24 12.5%2/16 86.7%26/30 1.41.1/0.3 0.3 0.2 0.6 2.1 1.8 15 » 16/17 Brose Bamberg 8:00 50%2/4 -0/0 -0/0 10/1 1 0 0 2 1 2 »

URBONUS podcast:

Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.