The first time AJ Olivier stepped onto the court, Dunham coach Chad Myers knew he would be special.

Olivier broke away for a layup in his first varsity game as a freshman, and Myers turned to his wife right then.

“I was like, ‘It’s going to be a fun four years,’ ” Myers said. “Literally like two plays later, he broke his leg.”

The guard suffered a fractured tibia that sidelined him for much of his freshman season. He later suffered a meniscus tear during his sophomore season that caused him to miss time.

Now a senior, Olivier has persevered to become the 14th boys player in Dunham history to score 1,000 career points, and has been the focal point behind a 10-0 team.

He’s received only one college offer — from Illinois-Chicago — which came during the summer of his sophomore season. He’s also in talks with other schools.

“He’s everything you want in a point guard,” Myers said. “The only thing that’s against him, and that’s what colleges are saying is, is he’s not 6-foot-3.”

The 6-foot Olivier, a two-time all-district player who was a second-team all-state choice last year, averages 26.2 points, 2.9 assists and three rebounds per game while shooting 57% from 3-point range on eight attempts per game. 

Overcoming injuries

After he suffered the broken tibia, Olivier worked hard to get back into the lineup in early February of that season as Dunham advanced to the Division III select semifinals.

“He’s a gym rat,” Myers said. “I open the gym for this kid every weekend.”

Olivier’s success is no surprise to those who see him shoot baskets or lift weights nearly every day.

“His faith and his perseverance have brought him through this journey,” his father, Aithen Olivier III, said. “This kid is battle-tested. It’s just beautiful to watch him as a young man grow through those challenges.”

When Olivier joined Dunham, he saw his game go to another level, and, ironically, the injury added to that. He wasn’t able to play, but watching others allowed him to see the game from a new perspective.

His work ethic has always been there. Before enrolling at Dunham, he lived in Lafayette and while in middle school there would drive to Baton Rouge most days to train and improve other facets of his game.

“Early mornings, late nights,” he said. “Whatever it is, whenever coach can get the gym open.”

A coach’s dream

Olivier boasts playmaking abilities and oozes athleticism, but he takes pride in being coachable. 

“He’s a coach’s dream,” Myers said. “He’s very disciplined.”

His work ethic often leads to Myers telling him when to take a day off.

Being the leader

Dunham’s undefeated season hasn’t come without challenges.

They were without much of the team early in the season because of the Tigers’ run to the state football championship. They’ve had only had six full-team practices.

“They hadn’t touched a ball in six months,” Myers said of the football players.

Myers has made it clear Olivier has the keys to the bus, and it’s his shown on the court.

 “We’re really relying on AJ. His first five games it was 31 (points), 40, 31, 31, 26,” Myers said.

Olivier works to be a vocal leader, but the example he sets  is clear. That leadership has always been there, and Myers has pushed him to embrace it.

An aspect of his life that benefits his role as a leader is the relationships he’s built with his teammates over the years. He’s played more than 100 games with his teammates, including junior Elijah Haven, a star quarterback on the football team, with whom he’s shared the hardwood since third grade.

“They just don’t even have to say much,” Myers said. “They just look at each other and let’s go.”

Trusting the process

Olivier is a skilled scorer and passer whose intangibles are a coach’s dram, but he still holds only one college offer.

“We’ve said a lot of times in this office,” Myers said, “it’s going to happen for you. You’ve got to trust in the Lord, trust the process.”

Myers pointed to the rise of the transfer portal in college basketball recruiting, which he said makes it harder for high school players to catch scouts’ attention.

But Olivier is undeterred.

“He’s confident in his skill set,” Aithen Olivier said. “He blocks out all the noise. He has a strong belief in himself.”

Myers said schools are missing the boat.

“Some school’s going to get him and be like, ‘What were we looking at? Why did we not offer him earlier?’ Some schools are going to miss out,” Myers said.

Leaving a legacy

When Olivier leaves Dunham, Myers said the message to his underclassmen will be simple.

“Be like him,” he said. “That’s the legacy.”

Olivier has left a lasting impact on his team, and Myers doesn’t want to think about it coming to a close. But before his prep career ends, Olivier hopes to cap it with a state title.

The Tigers have made three consecutive trips to the semifinals.

“I feel like we owe it to the guys that graduated before us the last couple of years,” Olivier said. “I just want to leave with a winning culture in the Dunham program.”

If Dunham wins the state title, it would be the first time in the school history that they’ve won a state championship in boys basketball and football in the same year.

Myers isn’t ready to think about Olivier’s career ending, but he knows he won’t have to wait long to see him again once he graduates.

He’ll just have to unlock the gym.