Olin Chamberlain Jr. is grateful to play at Temple as a preferred walk-on: ‘Iron sharpens iron’

Olin Chamberlain Jr. has memories of playing basketball at Temple. At the time, he was in elementary school and recalls his great uncle Claude Gross sending him to a camp at the university.

Although the commute from his childhood home in Harleysville was long, he has fond memories of that week-long camp.

“I just remember loving it,” said Chamberlain. “It was so exciting. I got to meet new people. I think that’s what the city of Philly can really do for basketball, or just in general, you make connections that can help you along the way, and great friends and great people.”

His family ties run deep in the Philly community. The St. Joe’s Prep graduate is the grandnephew of local basketball legends Gross and Wilt Chamberlain, a former 76ers star and Hall of Famer.

His relationship with the area, though, is why he has decided to stay local and play college basketball for the Owls.

Olin Chamberlain’s parents, Michelle and Olin Sr., made sure to enforce the notion that basketball wasn’t everything, and that he should explore other extracurricular activities in high school. He carried that same mindset when searching for a college and what he wanted to study.

“I never want people without thinking of me as the basketball guy, I want them thinking, ‘Hey, that’s a great guy over there. He knows how to talk to people correctly. He’s a funny guy,’” Chamberlain Jr. said. “I want people to think of me as a well-rounded person. Growing up, my parents always gave me that path to do what I wanted to do, I was very fortunate to have my parents be my biggest supporters.”

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At the Prep, he served on the student council for three years and auditioned for school plays. This fall, he intends to major in legal studies at Temple’s Fox School of Business.

“Temple has one of the best business schools in the country, and Temple’s basketball program is one of the best ever, one of the winningest programs ever,” Chamberlain Jr. said. “I thought it was a great culture and just great overall.”

Although staying close to home and having friends in the program will make for an easier adjustment, the point guard has already begun summer practices with the Owls and said the college level is “way more intense.”

Chamberlain Jr. averaged 10 points and three assists during his senior season with the Hawks. He’s joining Temple as a preferred walk-on and is grateful to head coach Adam Fisher for the opportunity.

“​​There’s absolutely no plays off," he added. “In high school, you may be able to get away with maybe taking a play off here and there, hands on the knees because you’re tired, but it’s really none of that in college. You got to give 100% every single time or you feel like you’re letting the team down, and you never want that. Iron sharpens iron.”

As a guard, he hopes to continue to knock down shots and make plays for his teammates. He also wants to impact the team off the court, and believes some of his strongest traits come from his confidence and leadership.

“If someone’s not going hard in practice, I think I have enough confidence to let him know,” Chamberlain Jr. said. “I’m also going to be the first person that’s going to say ‘great shot, keep doing what you’re doing,’ being encouraging to others. Being that type of guy in the locker room, it really helps a lot of teams win games.

“I’m kind of the little bro on the team. There’s not that many freshmen that come in anymore, since the transfer portal, it’s all a bunch of older guys coming in. I feel like I’m a kind of little brother on the team. I’m just super excited to be part of the team, win some games.”

His parents have drilled the idea that “the basketball stops bouncing eventually,” so Chamberlain Jr. is just as focused on his studies and career path as he is in basketball.

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He aspires to be an estate planning lawyer or sports agent.

“I could be going to school with future mayors, presidents, attorney generals, that’s the benefit you get when you go to a school like Temple that has such a great business program,” Chamberlain Jr. said. “I love helping people, and I love being around people, and I love talking to people, and I think [being a sports agent] would be a great opportunity to stay in the game of basketball, which I love, while also trying to help people accomplish what they want to accomplish.”