Kelly Olynyk delivered a 38-point performance in his second Lega Basket Serie A appearance for BC Roma, yet the capital club fell 110-103 in overtime to Openjobmetis Varese at the Itelyum Arena on Saturday, October 24. Bebasket.fr reported that the 35-year-old Canadian forward shot 11 of 12 from two-point range, hit three of five three-pointers, and went a perfect 7 for 7 from the foul line in 39 minutes of action.
Inside Kelly Olynyk Historic Scoring Night in Italy
Olynyk added 12 rebounds, four offensive boards, four assists, and two interceptions to finish with a staggering 53 efficiency rating. He missed just three of his 17 total field goal attempts. The outing followed his official signing with BC Roma on October 3, moving him to the Italian capital after 13 seasons in the NBA. During the 2025-26 NBA season, Olynyk appeared in 50 games for the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 3.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in eight minutes per contest.
The veteran interior player, who won a bronze medal with Canada at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and boasts 842 regular-season NBA appearances with stops including the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, has quickly adjusted to European play. At 211 centimeters, his ability to space the floor and distribute from the high post was immediately evident against Varese.
Kelly Olynyk vs Varese in @LegaBasketA :38 pts11/12 2-pts3/5 3-pts12 rbs4 ast53 val📸 BC Roma#SerieATipo pic.twitter.com/q21HSycWlJ
Varese Claws Back to Sink BC Roma in Overtime
Despite Olynyk’s historic individual production, BC Roma could not secure the road win. The visitors trailed 49-45 at halftime before controlling the third quarter to edge ahead 67-66. The contest remained tight through the final moments of regulation. Corey Davis converted two free throws with 2.3 seconds remaining on the clock to force overtime at 95-95.
Varese took control in the extra five-minute session to pull away. Stefan Nikolic led the hosts with 28 points, shooting a flawless 11 for 11 from the field, including four conversions beyond the arc. Hunter Hale contributed 22 points to support the Varese offense. Erik Stevenson chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds for BC Roma, while French guard Gerald Ayayi added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
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