NBA Draft 2013: Boston Selects Former Bulldog Kelly Olynyk with the 13th Overall Pick

Today, in the first round of the 2013 NBA draft, former Gonzaga center Kelly Olynyk was selected 13th overall by the Boston Celtics. Boston traded up from the 16th pick to the 13th pick to snag Olynyk.  Most NBA draft analysts had Olynyk going in the 10-20 range, and this prediction held true today. Olynyk joins former Gonzaga greats Dan Dickau, John Stockton, Robert Sacre, Ronny Turiaf, Austin Daye, and Adam Morrison as Gonzaga players to get drafted, and joins Dickau, Stockton, Daye, and Morrison as Bulldog players to get drafted in the first round of the NBA draft.

Olynyk was an unknown entity in the college basketball world when the season began, but his stellar play this season put him on the map. After taking a redshirt season last season to refine his skillset, Olynyk had one of the best season’s a Gonzaga player has ever had. Olynyk averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his junior season as a Zag. The Canadian seven-footer averaged 1.13 points per possession, which is the best out of power forward crop in this draft class. Olynyk proved himself as a potent scorer this season, and many think that his crafty low-post game will transfer to the NBA very well.

If you told me after Kelly Olynyk’s sophomore season that he would be a first round draft pick, I would have called you clinically insane. But look where he is now. Olynyk’s hard work and dedication have got him to this illustrious point in his life, and the Gonzaga faithful are extremely happy that he has achieved his dream. Congratulation Kelly, you’ve truly earner it.