Born in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada to a New Zealand mother and a Canadian father, Olson moved back and forth between the two countries as a youth, spending time living in Nelson and the Bay of Islands region.

[3] In 2001, Olson returned to New Zealand and joined the Auckland Stars of the National Basketball League.

After a one-season stint with the Harbour Kings in 2002, Olson returned to the Stars in 2003 and continued playing for them until 2005, helping the club win back-to-back championships in 2004 and 2005.

[citation needed] Between 2003 and 2007, Olson played for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League.

[6] Known for his outside shooting touch and gritty defence, Olson debuted for the Tall Blacks against the Czech Republic in 2003, was ruled ineligible to face Australia in that year's Oceania Championships, but was cleared to represent New Zealand at the 2004 Olympics and subsequently the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.