Last Thursday at the Palazzetto dello Sport on Viale Tiziano in Rome, Kelly Olynyk made his mark on his BC Roma debut with 15 points—six of them in the decisive overtime period—as his team secured a 77–72 EuroCup victory over Balkan Botevgrad. The immediate sense is that head coach Alessandro Magro’s squad has landed something far beyond a mere roster upgrade. “I played 13 years in the NBA; it was time to step aside and make room for the younger generation,” Olynyk shared during his introductory press conference at the Giulio Onesti sports complex. (A few days after the press conference, Olynyk had 38 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to Varese.)
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Kelly Olynyk on leaving NBA: 'It was time to step aside and make room for the younger generation'