Gonzaga Retires Jersey For Kelly Olynyk

SALT LAKE CITY – The Gonzaga Bulldogs hung the jersey of Utah Jazz center Kelly Olynyk in the rafters at McCarthey Athletic Center on Monday night.

The school held the ceremony for Olynyk and his number 13 jersey on December 5th as the Bulldogs hosted Kent State.

Olynyk and his wife Jackie attended the ceremony, as did Jazz head coach Will Hardy during a rare three days off between games.

Kelly Olynyk had his jersey retired tonight for the @ZagMBB team.

He’s only the fourth player in Gonzaga history to be given that honor.

(📷: @utahjazz) pic.twitter.com/vw6CvC5tpr

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 6, 2022

Olynyk’s Illustrious Career With The Bulldogs

Olynyk had a modest beginning to his career at Gonzaga averaging 4.8 points and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman and sophomore but exploded onto the national stage as a junior.

During the 2012-13 season, Olynyk averaged 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while leading Gonzaga to their first-ever AP No. 1 national ranking and one of the four top seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

The Zags won two West Coast Conference titles during Olynyk’s tenure and made three trips to the Big Dance.

Can John Stockton still play?

Kelly Olynyk said Stockton is "the best player out there every single possession" at his secretive Sunday pickup games.

And, it sounds like little has changed about Stockton's game since retirement.#takenote | @utahjazz https://t.co/548D9Pk6nk

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 10, 2022

As a junior Olynyk was named a consensus All-American and the WCC Basketball Player of the Year.

Olynyk will be the fourth Bulldogs player to have his number retired for the men’s basketball team.

Adam Morrison’s number three was retired in 2020, Frank Burgess had his number 44 retired in 2005, and former Jazz great and NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton had his number 12 jersey retired in 2004.

Olynyk With The Jazz

Olynyk has played an important role with the Jazz after being acquired in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic shortly before training camp opened in September.

The 10-year veteran has started all 23 games for the Jazz this season and is averaging 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 47 percent from the three-point line, both career highs.

Olynyk has career averages of 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists with stops in Boston, Miami, Houston, and Detroit prior to joining the Jazz.

The Gonzaga product has scored in double-digits in 14 of the Jazz’s 23 game so far this season.

The Bulldogs will also retire the numbers of Dan Dickau and Courtney Vandersloot during the 2022-23 college basketball season.

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