Kelly Oubre came to Philly on a minimum deal. Now he’s an invaluable member of the Sixers.
Oubre joined the Sixers on a one-year, $2.8 million deal, but he's proven to be worth his salt, becoming a consistent scorer and solid defender.
Kelly Oubre Jr. has blossomed into a key player for the 76ers.
The swingman keeps stepping up and has been a phenomenal addition. His activity, confidence, and aggressiveness benefit the Sixers. And coach Nick Nurse has really gotten him to buy in on defense.
The 6-foot-7, 203-pounder, who is blessed with a 7-2 wingspan, has always had the physical tools to be a good defender. He was just too worried about offense. But this renewed effort has made him a two-way force who can make meaningful contributions for a team that has eyes on the postseason.
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“That means everything, man,” said Oubre, who averaged a career-high 20.3 points a season ago with the Charlotte Hornets. “Obviously, you see that scoring 20 points on a team that’s not winning does nothing for you. But at the end of the day, being on a winning team and being able to contribute and be a piece is everything.
“That’s kind of what I wanted my whole career. Obviously, in the beginning of the year, the middle of the year, it was kind of cloudy because you are used to one thing, then you have to be in a different role, many different roles. And you just have to be able to play the game of basketball.”
Oubre has outperformed the one-year, $2.89 million veteran-minimum contract he signed in September.
The ninth-year veteran is averaging 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 66 games, including 50 starts.
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But those numbers don’t reveal his full impact, especially on defense.
In a key four-game stretch against the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and L.A. Clippers, Oubre blocked 10 shots and compiled six steals. And he is averaging 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 43.0% on three-pointers in the Sixers’ six-game winning streak.
“Kelly has been phenomenal the last two months since I’ve been here,” said Kyle Lowry, whom the Sixers signed on Feb. 13. “He’s been phenomenal shooting the ball, driving the ball, making aggressive takes to the rim. He’s just been phenomenal.”
Oubre’s performances have enabled the Sixers to function without missing a beat while Tobias Harris missed the last four games with a bruised left knee. And Oubre’s ability to adapt to different situations and stay aggressive has even led him to be perceived as challenging — if not supplanting — Harris as the team’s third option behind Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
But Oubre describes this season as “weird” because of his different roles and the accident that cost him significant time.
He opened the season as the sixth man before taking over the starting small forward position in the fourth game. That lasted only five games before Oubre was hit by a car while riding his bicycle, according to police reports. He suffered a cracked a rib and remained sidelined from Nov. 12 to Dec. 6.
Upon returning, he came off the bench for seven games before starting 28 of 31 games at shooting guard or small forward. After spending the next three games as a reserve, Oubre has been in the starting lineup since March 8.
“I don’t control coming off the bench or starting,” Oubre said. “I know I’m a starter in this league, and you know, obviously this is a team where we’ve got a lot of great pieces. But I want to be one of the main ones. And I’ve just kind of been trying to stay persistent in my roles of just showing I can thrive in this situation.”
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In his experience, Oubre has seen teams usually start the players with higher salaries. And he thought his role as a reserve at times had something to do with that.
“But at the end of the day, man, it’s about basketball, being a piece to the team and an asset,” Oubre said. “So I’m just trying to be like water, man. Stay poised, form to whatever situation.”
In the process, he has transformed into a major key to the Sixers’ success.