Australian forward Lachlan Olbrich has signed with Tokyo Alvark in Japan's B.League Premier, he told ESPN.
The one-year deal makes Olbrich among the highest-paid imports in the league going into the 2026-27 season, sources told ESPN, and will see the 22-year-old play under new head coach Ryan Richman, who's widely regarded as one of the best young coaches outside the NBA.
Olbrich -- mobile, 6'9 forward -- is coming off a season in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, where he was on a two-way contract; he played 37 games, highlighted by a triple-double vs. the Dallas Mavericks on April 12.
"The main thing that made Tokyo Alvark so appealing was getting the chance to work with Ryan Richman," Olbrich told ESPN.
"He's got a lot of confidence in my abilities, but also in my potential, so I believe he's going to help put me on the right path to get back to the NBA, which is where I feel I belong.
"I've always had an interest in the amazing culture and lifestyle in Japan, so I'm excited to now get to experience everything the country and league has to offer."
Richman spent multiple seasons as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, before joining Japan's SeaHorses Mikawa as head coach. The 37-year-old was appointed head coach of Tokyo Alvark in June of 2026.
"We're extremely excited to add a player of Lachlan's calibre to our program," Richman told ESPN.
"He's the ultimate connector; someone who makes everyone around him better. He plays with tremendous energy and toughness on both ends of the floor, and we believe that competitive spirit will be contagious throughout our group.
"What makes Lachlan even more exciting is that he's still so young, and he's chosen a different path to pursue his goals. He's already gained valuable experience, and we believe there's so much more growth ahead of him.
"Most importantly, he's a winner. We can't wait to win together, grow together, and help him continue on that path toward his ultimate goal of making it back to the NBA."
Olbrich -- out of Adelaide, South Australia -- spent one season playing college basketball at UC Riverside before joining the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL ahead of the 2023-24 season. He was a key member of the Hawks team that won the 2025 NBL Championship, and leveraged that successful season into being selected by the Bulls (via the Lakers) with the 55th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
After being drafted, Olbrich signed a two-way deal with the Bulls, splitting his time between the NBA and NBA G-League. In 18 games for the Windy City Bulls in the G-League, Olbrich averaged 19.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
He played with the Golden State Warriors at the 2026 NBA Summer League, and had substantial interest across Europe before signing in Japan, with the hopes of using this upcoming season to show his continued development in order to rejoin an NBA team in the future.
"I think the biggest thing for me is continuing to show my shooting ability and proving I can do it consistently at a high level," Olbrich said. "I know I've got the capability so now it's about getting out to Tokyo and showing it every night, to prove I can be a consistent threat from the three."
Olbrich will join fellow former NBL player D.J. Hogg on Tokyo Alvark's roster. He's expected to arrive in Japan in the coming weeks.