How rookie guard Lucy Olsen turned a spur-of-the moment press conference response into a motto and a brand.
From an authentic moment at a press conference in 2023 to a phrase quoted by basketball fans across the country, Lucy Olsen’s story is proof that the things we take seriously can still be enjoyable.
SHOP LUCY'S MERCH!
That was Olsen’s answer to a routine press conference question her freshman year at Villanova.
The Wildcats had barely squeaked into the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed, then upset BYU in the first round.
“My whole family watched the press conference and they’re like, ‘Oh, good answer,’ really sarcastically,” she recalled. “They were like, ‘That was your best answer? Basketball’s fun? Really???’”
A neighbor thought it was so funny that they put the phrase on a shirt with Olsen’s face and name on the back.
“But then we were like, wait, I do smile all the time on the court, I do really like basketball. It is fun,” she reflects. “And that’s a deeper message to young kids as well.”
What began as a sarcastic inside joke slowly took on a life of its own.
Photo Credit, Player Arrival: Kenny Giarla
“Like if I’m going to Australia, maybe a shirt that says, ‘Basketball’s fun, mate.’ Or something tied to the playoffs,” she says, “Just fun designs that keep building on it.”
Now in her rookie season, Olsen is growing her game and her brand hand-in-hand—a mirror of the life she tries to live and her commitment to living without regrets.
“I want to enjoy life and do things in the moment so I can enjoy the rest of my life,” she says. “That’s how I try to live.”
What started as a throwaway line has grown into a reminder of why she plays and why so many fans feel a connection to her.
In a sport often defined by pressure and performance, Olsen has built her brand on something refreshingly simple: joy.
For Olsen, the phrase stuck because it was genuine.
Her game—and her personality—are rooted in joy. She smiles on the court, laughs with her teammates, and never lets the stakes loom larger than her gratitude.
“When things aren’t at their best, I remind myself, ‘You’re not injured, you still get to play,’” she says. “Not everyone gets to do this. I love the game so much, so even when it’s hard, I take advantage of the present moment.”
That perspective is what she hopes resonates with younger players.
“A lot of kids fall out of sports because their coaches are annoying or they just don’t love it anymore,” she says. “But I got here because I found joy playing with teammates, with friends. You can have fun and be competitive at the same time. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.”
"BASKETBALL IS FUN."
Her approach is lighthearted and playful, but also intentional. Her first online shop stocked a little bit of everything. In the future, she wants to experiment with more curated drops.
How rookie guard Lucy Olsen turned a spur-of-the moment press conference response into a motto and a brand.
Photo Credit, Player Arrival: Kenny Giarla
SHOP LUCY'S MERCH!
Her approach is lighthearted and playful, but also intentional. Her first online shop stocked a little bit of everything. In the future, she wants to experiment with more curated drops.
“Like if I’m going to Australia, maybe a shirt that says, ‘Basketball’s fun, mate.’ Or something tied to the playoffs,” she says, “Just fun designs that keep building on it.”
Now in her rookie season, Olsen is growing her game and her brand hand-in-hand—a mirror of the life she tries to live and her commitment to living without regrets.
“I want to enjoy life and do things in the moment so I can enjoy the rest of my life,” she says. “That’s how I try to live.”
What started as a throwaway line has grown into a reminder of why she plays and why so many fans feel a connection to her.
In a sport often defined by pressure and performance, Olsen has built her brand on something refreshingly simple: joy.
For Olsen, the phrase stuck because it was genuine.
Her game—and her personality—are rooted in joy. She smiles on the court, laughs with her teammates, and never lets the stakes loom larger than her gratitude.
“When things aren’t at their best, I remind myself, ‘You’re not injured, you still get to play,’” she says. “Not everyone gets to do this. I love the game so much, so even when it’s hard, I take advantage of the present moment.”
That perspective is what she hopes resonates with younger players.
“A lot of kids fall out of sports because their coaches are annoying or they just don’t love it anymore,” she says. “But I got here because I found joy playing with teammates, with friends. You can have fun and be competitive at the same time. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.”
That was Olsen’s answer to a routine press conference question her freshman year at Villanova.
The Wildcats had barely squeaked into the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed, then upset BYU in the first round.
“My whole family watched the press conference and they’re like, ‘Oh, good answer,’ really sarcastically,” she recalled. “They were like, ‘That was your best answer? Basketball’s fun? Really???’”
A neighbor thought it was so funny that they put the phrase on a shirt with Olsen’s face and name on the back.
“But then we were like, wait, I do smile all the time on the court, I do really like basketball. It is fun,” she reflects. “And that’s a deeper message to young kids as well.”
What began as a sarcastic inside joke slowly took on a life of its own.
"BASKETBALL IS FUN."