It’s pretty clear who the majority of Kamloops residents will be cheering for in the NHL and NBA finals.
Unless you’re a Vegas Golden Knights or New York Knicks fan, you’ll almost certainly be cheering on a pair of Kamloops’ native sons who are seeking their first championships.
Of course, we’re talking about Logan Stankoven of the Carolina Hurricanes and Kelly Olynyk of the San Antonio Spurs.
Stankoven, who was not only born and raised in Kamloops but also played parts of five seasons with the Blazers, is in his first Stanley Cup Final.
After making the conference final with Dallas in 2024 and Carolina in 2025, Stankoven and the Hurricanes finally broke through this year for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 20 years.
The 23-year-old has been a major part of that, as he’s third in the NHL with nine playoff goals skating on Carolina’s most productive line alongside Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake.
While Stankoven has played a major part in Carolina’s playoff success, Olynyk has very much been a role player for San Antonio during the NBA playoffs.
Olynyk, 35, has matched his age with 35 total minutes played during the team’s post-season run and he’s recorded 25 points in his limited time on the court.
This will be the South Kamloops Secondary alum’s second NBA final, as he previously reached the championship series with the Miami Heat in the 2020 bubble, but they lost to LeBron James and the Lakers.
The Stanley Cup Final gets underway in Carolina on Tuesday with a 5 pm puck drop for game one, while the NBA Finals begins Wednesday at 5:30 pm in San Antonio.
