Former NBA big man Kelly Olynyk has signed with Italian club BC Roma, according to an official announcement made by the team. Olynyk is currently completing visa processing requirements to enter Italy and is scheduled to arrive in Rome shortly to wear the number 22 jersey.
From NBA Draft Lottery to Eleven Seasons Across Seven Franchises
He immediately made an impact as a rookie, appearing in 71 games for Boston and earning NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors. Over his career, the 6'11" center and power forward played for the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans, and San Antonio Spurs.
Known for his floor-spacing ability, passing vision, and perimeter shooting from the center position, Olynyk appeared in 842 regular-season NBA games, averaging 9.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 36.9 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, he logged 42 appearances with the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists as the team reached the NBA Finals, though his postseason action was limited to nine games.
Luka Doncic Helps Launch BC Roma Project
Olynyk’s new club, BC Roma, represents a major new project spearheaded by an ownership group that includes Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. In May 2026, a group led by Doncic and former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson acquired Italian Serie A club Vanoli Cremona and relocated the franchise to Rome, fulfilling a long-held ambition for Doncic to own a European club.
The club is set to compete in Serie A for the 2026–27 season, with longer-term ambitions of participating in the planned NBA Europe initiative. The project aims to elevate Rome into a primary European basketball hub, turning Olynyk’s arrival into a high-profile player acquisition for the newly established organization.
