Olbrich's journey to the NBA Draft

On the eve of the 2025 NBA Draft, excitement is high in the Illawarra Hawks camp as 21-year-old Lachlan Olbrich is projected as a second round pick. If successful, Lachlan will become the third Illawarra star to make the NBA following LaMelo Ball and AJ Johnson.

The draft process has certainly put Lachlan through his paces with him earning a coveted invitation-only spot in the NBA Combine, where he was pitted against 74 other hopefuls in a series of medical and performance tests as well as shooting and playing drills. Lachlan said “Going through the draft process has been challenging but rewarding. The Combine, all the team workouts, and travelling non-stop definitely pushed me. Day after day I’ve tried to stay focused on my development and enjoying the journey.”

The Draft consists of 2 rounds where the 30 NBL teams choose from 136 draft candidates. The first round picks start Thursday 26^thJune (10.00am AEST) where picks 1 to 30 will take place. The second round will take place on Friday 27^th June (10.00am AEST) where the remaining 31 – 59 picks will take place.

Lachlan is projected to be picked around the 50 mark which would land him either at Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks or the LA Clippers. If he is selected in the second round, Lachlan will have the option to take the contract immediately or at a future date.

Whatever the outcome, the whole team is behind Lachlan and understand the effort it has taken to be considered for the draft. 

Mat Campbell, COO Basketball stated that "Lachlan had to do it the hard way. He had to go through the G-League camp, had to be selected for the proper NBA Combine, excelled in that, and has been doing really well in the workouts. The fact he didn't have an easy ride like some other athletes has put him in a good position.”

Team favourite, Lachie, also acknowledges the effort it has taken to get to this position saying “This experience has been unbelievable and one that will help me abundantly throughout my career. No matter how things play out, I’m proud of how far I’ve come and am extremely grateful for everyone who has made this possible.”

We wish you well Lachie! Stay tuned to Illawarra Hawks socials for 2025 NBA draft updates.