Toronto Raptors Kelly Olynyk Press Conference | March 05, 2024

Toronto Raptors Kelly Olynyk Press Conference | March 05, 2024

So Kelly when you wake up today you what was the Motions you know you signed this contract extension with the team that you grew up with has it sun in that you know you’re a member of the Raptors yet I mean I’m a member right now I’ve been

A member but um yeah no obviously here for extended period you know it’s nice to you know replant some Roots um and really en enjoy being home and you know helping this team get back to where they’ve been Kelly I mean how do you interpret

That that role or your your role in that I mean it’s it’s a different team even from when you joined it almost uh you know you’ve been on really really good teams you’ve been on teams that have been rebuilding and where do you see your fitting your your skills and

Attributes fitting in yeah I mean I think well um you know I think we got a lot of Talent on this team a lot of young talent that you know trying to find their their way in their niche in this league like I’ve said before and

You know just you know helping bring my experience um you know versus versatility to you know help accent all those pieces and you know bring them all together um and then you know some leadership and experience on off the court um and just helping them grow into

You know hopefully the the potential and players that they know they can be how how have these first I guess it’s three weeks been compared to what you expected coming in anything surprise you either on or off the court uh I mean I don’t think there

There’s not a ton of surprises um know obviously it was a amazing you know welcome you know homecoming um you know enjoying being home um you know on home soil know that’s been really special um you know the the staff and the organization has been top tier it’s been

Great um but yeah you I mean it’s just about know continue to build and and grow and get better every day as a as a unit and a team and like I said just keep climbing and you know get back to where that you know they’ve been and

Where we want to be Kelly um I mean I guess in theory you could have waited until July and you would have been eligible for a longer extension if I understand these rules and stuff yeah I know this confusing um was that a consideration at all like why did you

Was it important for you to sign a two-year deal here now versus maybe waiting and seeing if there was longer deal or maybe more money in the free agent Market yeah I mean for for me it was like you know they traded for me they wanted me here um you know just to

Reciprocate that that that love and you know show that do want to be here too you know I’ve you know wanted to be here since I was four years old so it’s uh you know special and you know just to to create that know that trust and that

Bond and you know hopefully they’ll be here for the rest of my career do you think your your roots here um played a part in you in you kind of wanted to stay here and it would be that having more Canadian players is is you know potentially beneficial for free agency

And and having guys stick around how more Contin plays is beneficial the fact did your roots in Toronto play a part in you you know being willing to yeah of course I mean I’m from here you know I got lots of family friends you know close by I mean that you know

Definitely helps it doesn’t hurt but um no I think it’s you know it’s about the fit and the organization and um you know obviously playing in your home Home Country for your home team uh is pretty special it’s a unique experience and not everybody gets to experience um So that

Obviously helps but um know it’s it’s bigger than that beyond that and know it’s somewhere that you want to be um for a multitude of reasons not just because you’re in you’re here it sounds like a negotiations began almost immediately since you got traded here what was the process like from your

Perspective yeah I mean it was it was pretty smooth um like I said they they know traded for for me and and oai and they wanted us both here as uh pieces to the puzzle long term and know that’s something that I want to be a part of

You always want to be somewhere where people want you to be right um you know that’s always a good thing so um yeah I mean I I think it was relatively smooth um a lot of respect both on both sides and know that plays a big part Kelly

Does I mean you mentioned the rest of your career I’m not goingon to I’m sure that’s six seven eight n hopefully right but is there an after basketball is add into your thinking that to to be in this market and and uh you know could that lead to

Opportunities uh you know a decade from now when you finish like like after basketball in terms of what in terms of you know just being being present in this market being part of the Raptors as a Canadian or you know even you know within the NBA industry like is is does

That enter your your mind at all about about this being a good place to if you end up here for the rest of your career yeah I’m not sure I mean you never know um this this uh industry and business is so fluid so it’s kind of like you know

The people you were that I mean you know coaches front office owners know they shift and change all the time so the people you’re with now might not be here in 10 years or you know whatever it is um so you never know but I I don’t think

It hurts at all um know it’s somewhere i’ love to be and somewhere I would love to be for a long time and and having your deal done before uh going to training camp with the national team I guess is yeah I mean that’s that was

Definitely a big part of it as well is you know getting this you know out of the way and um you know training camp starts a little bit before free agency I think so um to not have that on your plate in your mind um just be able to

Play free and easy um and then obviously in the summer just be able to to work out train and uh be present right at the start um with no complications is a is a big factor and um that’s also know played a huge part in the decision appreciate

Y the rumors of a WNBA team coming here you want to sit down so I can hear it sorry any thoughts on that what they would mean to the city uh yeah I mean it be it would be a big you know a big impact I mean know we have a lot of

Success for women’s basketball in Canada and have for for little while so I think it’d be huge I mean I’m not sure know how the complications of that or if it’s you know if it’s tough or not or tougher but know if they could I mean I’m sure

It’ be welcomed with with open arms and um yeah it would be good to see thanks for watching the Toronto rappers YouTube channel check out our latest video And subscribe for more in AOW wide that was great

Kelly Olynyk speaks with the media Tuesday following his contract extension with the Raptors. #Raptors #TorontoRaptors