Kelly Oubre Jr. wants to stand out and he did just that on Media Day, Friday.
Oubre walked up to the podium and the first thing many noticed was his new hairstyle. He dyed his hair red for a reason he described as “wanting to bring that fire.” Despite his well-discussed flaws, Oubre has brought a contagious energy to the Philadelphia 76ers that fans have grown to love.
Oubre is focused on helping the 76ers rebound from last season’s horrors after opting into his $8.4 million player option on June 29th. Now that he’s fully healthy, Oubre has worked to patch up holes in his game and contribute to Philadelphia’s newfound culture shift. Despite recent trade rumors, the 10-year veteran is determined to stand out for the 76ers’ betterment.
“I'm not gonna apologize for the things that I say, because no one is going to do the same to me,” Oubre said. “But, at the end of the day, it was an accumulation of lack thereof discussion- or X'ing me out of the equation. I'm here, I'm all in. I wear this jersey for a reason, it is because I want to.”
Oubre was hurting for years
Oubre infamously revealed that he played through a left pinky surgery for the last three years in his later-deleted response to an Instagram post, which covered trade talks involving him and Andre Drummond earlier this month.
He followed up on this during Media Day, stating that he had been bothered by his wrist since the COVID-19 pandemic. Oubre aggressively attacked his recovery plan throughout the summer and feels that his wrist now has a wider motion range.
Flashing a clean bill of health, Oubre’s perimeter shooting theoretically should improve. While he has shot just 32.5% from beyond the arc in his career, having a fully functional wrist could make a difference. With an improved motion range, his shooting form will naturally refine.
Regardless of what position Oubre will play, Philadelphia would strongly welcome more adequate floor-spacing around its core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George.
Oubre wants to get better
Three-point shooting is just one of Oubre’s weaknesses that fans have harped on since he first signed with the 76ers ahead of the 2023-24 season. His efficiency and decision-making off the dribble, or lack thereof, have caused him to become one of the more polarizing players on the roster.
It may be a challenge for some players to develop later in their career, but not for Oubre. The wing said he and trainer Drew Hanlen made playmaking and efficiency two focal points in his summer training regimen. Hanlen showed Oubre his lowlights where he appeared to be “going 100 miles an hour, kinda brainless.”
If Oubre could make even marginal progress in those two areas, it would greatly benefit the 76ers. With improved passing and efficiency, he could help keep Philadelphia’s offense flowing and open up the floor for himself. If defenses notice that Oubre is capable of making reads out of double teams, they’ll be more hesitant to send two bodies his way.
Regardless, Oubre is focused on aiding the 76ers in any way he can.
“Continue to stick to our foundation and our morals as a team and as a unit, and all be on the same page no matter what, no matter who's out there,” Oubre said.