Lachlan Olbrich Bio
Lachlan Olbrich (born 30 December 2003) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League. Standing 203 cm and playing as a forward, he has built his career through the Australian and New Zealand national leagues before reaching the NBA. After winning an NBL championship with the Illawarra Hawks in the 2024–25 season, Olbrich was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft before having his rights traded to the Chicago Bulls.
Across his time in the NBL1 Central, the NBL, and the New Zealand NBL, Olbrich has collected multiple individual awards, including league MVP, grand final MVP, and All-Star Five selections. He is regarded as a hard-working big man whose development in Australia and New Zealand prepared him for the demands of professional basketball in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Lachlan Olbrich was born in Adelaide, South Australia, and grew up in a basketball-focused household. He developed his game playing pickup and club basketball alongside his older brother Mitchell and his father Greg. His early years in Adelaide helped shape his fundamentals and his love for the sport.
He attended Reynella East College in Adelaide, where he played both basketball and volleyball, gaining the athletic base that would later define his forward play. He represented South Australia at national basketball championships in 2020 and 2021, earning notice as a promising junior prospect before entering senior basketball.
His father, Greg Olbrich, was a respected figure in South Australian basketball and had won the most valuable player award in the South Australian State League in 1995. Greg passed away in March 2024 at age 51 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a social basketball game, an event that deeply influenced Lachlan both personally and professionally.
Path to Professional Basketball
In 2021, Olbrich played one game for the BA Centre of Excellence in the Waratah League and two games for the Southern Tigers in the NBL1 Central, gaining his first taste of senior-level competition. Later that year, in October 2021, he signed with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL) as a development player for the 2021–22 season. He appeared in three games for the 36ers during that campaign, learning the pace and physicality of Australia’s top league.
He re-joined the Southern Tigers of the NBL1 Central for the 2022 season and was named to the All-Star Five. He also won the Frank Angove Award as the league’s best under-23 player. In 12 games, he averaged 19.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game, establishing himself as one of the most productive young forwards in the competition.
Olbrich then moved to the United States to play college basketball for the UC Riverside Highlanders of the Big West Conference in the 2022–23 season. He averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game and was named Big West Freshman of the Year, becoming just the second Big West Freshman of the Year in UC Riverside history.
Lachlan Olbrich Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Olbrich’s senior career began in 2021 with a brief appearance for the BA Centre of Excellence in the Waratah League, followed by two games for the Southern Tigers in the NBL1 Central. These short stints gave him an early view of the standards required in adult competition and set the stage for his development player contract with the Adelaide 36ers later that year.
With the 36ers during the 2021–22 NBL season, he appeared in three games as a development player, absorbing the team’s systems and training environment. His role was limited, but the experience within a top-flight Australian program laid the groundwork for the breakout he would deliver once he returned to the NBL1 Central in 2022.
West Adelaide Bearcats Breakthrough (2023)
Olbrich returned to the NBL1 Central in 2023 and joined the West Adelaide Bearcats, where he was once again named to the All-Star Five and won his second Frank Angove Award. He helped the Bearcats reach the NBL1 Central Grand Final, where they defeated the Forestville Eagles 106–95 to win the championship behind Olbrich’s 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. He was subsequently named grand final MVP.
In 18 games for the season, he averaged 21.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, delivering the kind of all-around production that confirmed his status as one of the premier big men in South Australian basketball. The championship and MVP honours marked the clearest signal yet that he was ready for a full-time NBL opportunity.
Illawarra Hawks Era (2023–2025)
On 4 April 2023, Olbrich signed a three-year deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the NBL. He had a breakout showing in the pre-season NBL Blitz but struggled early in the regular season. Upon coach Justin Tatum taking over midway through the season, Olbrich went on to prove himself as a capable back-up for captain Sam Froling. In 31 games in the 2023–24 NBL season, he averaged 3.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Olbrich entered the 2024–25 NBL season after a standout NBL Blitz pre-season tournament, demonstrating his potential in front of NBA scouts. On 28 November 2024, he scored a career-high 21 points in just 13 minutes of court time in a 109–71 win over the New Zealand Breakers. He helped the Hawks earn their first ever minor premiership by finishing on top of the ladder with a 20–9 record, and they reached the NBL Grand Final with a 2–1 semi-finals series victory over the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
In the grand final series against Melbourne United, Olbrich stepped up after Sam Froling was injured in game four, scoring 13 points in 25 minutes in an 80–71 series-tying win. In game five, Olbrich scored 12 points in helping the Hawks win the NBL championship with a 114–104 series-clinching victory. In 37 games for the season, he averaged 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Canterbury Rams (2024)
Olbrich joined the Canterbury Rams of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) for the 2024 season. On the day he debuted for the Rams on 27 March, he was informed that his father had died in South Australia, and he subsequently returned home for an extended period. In his first game back with the Rams in late April, he scored a season-high 35 points against the Hawke’s Bay Hawks.
He helped the Rams finish top of the competition with a 17–3 record that included a 16-game winning streak, and he was named the New Zealand NBL Most Valuable Player alongside All-Star Five, Most Outstanding Forward and Youth Player of the Year honours. In the semi-final, Olbrich had 22 points and 16 rebounds and made the game-winning layup with seconds left in a 112–111 double-overtime win over the Taranaki Airs. In the NZNBL Grand Final, he had 29 points, 18 rebounds and six assists to lead the Rams to a 102–87 victory over the Auckland Tuatara to win the championship, and was named grand final MVP.
Chicago Bulls Era (2025–Present)
Olbrich declared for the 2025 NBA draft, where he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th overall pick. His draft rights were then immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. On 3 July 2025, he signed a two-way contract with the Bulls and joined the team for the 2025 NBA Summer League. In his NBA debut on 30 November 2025, he recorded two points and three rebounds in a 103–101 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Olbrich’s career has been marked by a series of defining moments, including his Big West Freshman of the Year award at UC Riverside, his dominant 2023 NBL1 Central championship with the West Adelaide Bearcats, his MVP sweep in the 2024 New Zealand NBL season with the Canterbury Rams, and his NBL championship with the Illawarra Hawks in 2024–25. His game-winning layup against the Taranaki Airs and his 29-point, 18-rebound grand final performance for the Rams stand out as signature playoff moments.
Lachlan Olbrich Career Wins
Lachlan Olbrich has built a résumé of team championships and individual awards across the NBL1 Central, the New Zealand NBL, and the Australian NBL. His trophy case includes league MVPs, grand final MVPs, and multiple All-Star Five selections, reflecting his consistent production as a forward at every level he has played.
NBL1 Central Highlights
Olbrich was a two-time NBL1 Central All-Star Five member in 2022 and 2023, and a two-time Frank Angove Award winner as the league’s best under-23 player. In 2023, he led the West Adelaide Bearcats to the NBL1 Central championship and was named grand final MVP after posting 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the title game.
New Zealand NBL Highlights
In the 2024 New Zealand NBL season with the Canterbury Rams, Olbrich was named league MVP, All-Star Five, Most Outstanding Forward, and Youth Player of the Year, and was also named grand final MVP. He helped the Rams capture the championship and produced a 16-game winning streak, a semi-final game-winning layup, and a 29-point, 18-rebound grand final performance.
NBL and Other Performances
Olbrich won the NBL championship with the Illawarra Hawks in 2024–25, contributing key performances throughout the finals series, including 13 points in the series-tying game four and 12 points in the series-clinching game five against Melbourne United. He also joined the Australian Boomers in November 2024 for the first time to compete in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
Lachlan Olbrich Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Lachlan Olbrich comes from a family with deep roots in South Australian basketball. His father, Greg Olbrich, was a well-known figure in the local game and had been named most valuable player of the South Australian State League in 1995. Greg died in March 2024 at age 51 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a social basketball game.
Personal Life
Olbrich grew up playing basketball with his older brother Mitchell and his father Greg, an experience that shaped his understanding of the game from an early age. He has continued to honor his father’s legacy throughout his professional career, including dedicating standout performances during the 2024 New Zealand NBL season to his memory.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been the most transformative of Lachlan Olbrich’s career. He began the year with the Canterbury Rams in the New Zealand NBL, completing a championship-winning 2024 season that earned him league MVP and grand final MVP honours. He then returned to the Illawarra Hawks for the 2024–25 NBL season and helped the club capture its first NBL championship, with Olbrich stepping up in the finals after Sam Froling’s injury in game four.
Following the NBL championship, Olbrich declared for the 2025 NBA draft and was selected 55th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers before his draft rights were traded to the Chicago Bulls. He signed a two-way contract with the Bulls on 3 July 2025 and joined the team for the 2025 NBA Summer League. His NBA debut came on 30 November 2025, when he recorded two points and three rebounds in a 103–101 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
As he adjusts to the pace and physicality of the NBA, Olbrich is also expected to split time with the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League as part of his two-way arrangement. With his championship experience in Australia and New Zealand, his development arc, and his recent international debut with the Australian Boomers in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, Olbrich enters the back end of 2025 with clear momentum and a defined role within the Bulls organization.