Kelly Olynyk's at a retirement ceremony for his jersey at Gonzaga University. (Photo via Gonzaga University)
Kelly Olynyk’s jersey number 13 will hang in the rafters of the McCarthey Athletic Center at Gonzaga University.
The South Kamloops Secondary graduate becomes just the fourth men’s basketball player in Gonzaga history to have their jersey retired joining Frank Burgess, Adam Morrison, and NBA Hall of Famer, John Stockton.
“You’re almost speechless,” Olynyk said, in a statement released by Gonzaga University. “It is just such an honor, especially with the names that you’re up beside. They’re unbelievable players.”
The school held the ceremony for Olynyk on Monday, Dec. 5, as the Bulldogs hosted Kent State in front of a sellout crowd with Olynyk, his family, as well as Utah Jazz Head Coach, Will Hardy, in attendance.
“A (South) Kamloops kid honoured and enshrined by one of the NCAAs premier basketball programs,” South Kamloops basketball coach, Del Komarniski said, on twitter.
“This is massive.”
Olynyk, who played for the Spokane-based university, helped the Bulldogs men’s basketball program to its first-ever number one national ranking in 2012-13 as a redshirt junior. He averaged 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists that season.
The Bulldogs won two West Coast Conference titles in 2011 and 2013 during Olynyk’s tenure and made three trips to the NCAA March Madness tournament in 2010, 2011, and 2013. They also played in the tournament in 2012 when Olynyk was a redshirt.
Legends Live Forever 💯 pic.twitter.com/RBakWWn23h
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) December 6, 2022
A 10-year veteran of the NBA with 636 regular season games under his belt, Olynyk has started all 26 games for the Utaz Jazz this season, average 13 points, five rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.
The six-foot-11 Olynyk has a career average of 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, and also suited up for Boston, Miami, Houston, and Detroit prior to joining the Jazz in Sept. 2022.
A HUGE congratulations to @KellyOlynyk whose @ZagMBB jersey was raised to the rafters at McCarthey Athletic Center tonight, an honor given to only three other @GonzagaU men’s basketball players: Frank Burgess, Adam Morrison and John Stockton. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/tLKfm8kBRO
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 6, 2022
