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Kelly Oubre Jr., 6’7″ 205 lbs. — Small Forward, 19 Years Old
The breakdown- Kelly Oubre is about as consistent of a player as they come in this year’s draft. Coming from a great pedigree having played his basketball for Kansas, there isn’t one thing in his game that stands out where there are flaws physically. Oubre has a solid three point shot with a 36% average last year from range. His pull-up and mid range game is very fluid and at 200 pounds to go with his six foot seven frame, his muscular build allows him to finish strong at the basket. Besides his abilities offensively his most unique skillset comes from the defensive side of the ball. His lateral movement and quickness will allow Oubre to be an asset in the NBA for years to come. He has the ability to stay committed to his man off the ball and on the ball his discipline makes him one of the best defensive guards in this year’s draft.
Draft status: During his time at Kansas, Oubre showed NBA promise with his physical gifts and quickness on the defensive end. Yet when he played as a starter he averaged less than five points per game. The main concern with Oubre is his inability to create his own shot. On draft boards Oubre is expected to be a top 10 pick, but being a top 10 pick means that a player can score on his own. He will need to develop more effective one on one skills in order to become one of the league’s best.
Player Likeability: With his defensive ability to go along with the ability to shoot consistently beyond the ark; Oubre plays a lot like Jeff Teague. Both have skills at guarding their man, but Oubre’s height makes him almost spiderlike in how he defends the ball. With the game evolving also to the point where practically every good point guard can drive to the basket with frenetic moves and power like Russell Westbrook, Oubre can be that guy to limit those types of guards.
Summary: In a nutshell there isn’t one thing that truly stands out about Oubre offensively. He can shoot the ball well, he has nice athleticism around the basket but there isn’t anything signature with him. It’s about what Oubre offers defensively and then has he done or continue to build on during workouts or in the NBA Summer League.
Prediction: Early-mid first round
Teams: Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder.
