Why Olbrich deserves NBA shot

Lachlan Olbrich’s rise over the last two seasons has been nothing short of phenomenal and with his invite to the Draft Combine, he now has the chance to show NBA teams his full potential.

If there’s any one player who would understand Olbrich’s impact and improvement, it’s his Championship winning teammate Sam Froling, who went to head-to-head with him each day in training over the last two seasons.

“He (Olbrich) works at his game so hard,” Froling told NBL Media.

“It can’t go understated how important he was for us this year and winning the Championship.”

Lachlan Olbrich's skill, craft and toughness earned him a callup to the NBA Combine with 31 points, 17 rebounds in 42 minutes. The 6'10 Australian won the NBL Championship with Illawarra this season, with some big games in the finals. pic.twitter.com/XCmriJcYHK

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025

While Olbrich was predominantly Froling’s backup throughout this past season, the 21-year-old was given more responsibility in Game 4 of the Championship Series when his more experienced teammate went down with an Achilles injury.

Olbrich stepped up and delivered big when it mattered most. Now, he gets one step closer to his ultimate dream of making the NBA.

“Playing impactful minutes professional at such a young age is something he has over a lot of other bigs in this draft,” Froling added.

“He’s showed that with how he’s performed so far.

“He’s got great touch, rebounds well, runs the floor hard and moves really well for a big guy. He defends and is just an all-round winner.”

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Olbrich earnt his invite to the combine after his stellar performance at the G League Elite Camp, proving to be one of the top five standouts.

“It’s great to see him showcase that and get recognised and rewarded.

“He’s the perfect fit for an NBA big guy.”