Scouting Report – Kelly Oubre, Jr.

Name: Kelly Oubre, Jr. DOB: 12/9/1995 (19) School: Kansas

Height: 6’6.75 Weight: 202.8 Projected Position: SF

Wingspan: 7’2.25 Standing Reach: 8’6.5

2014-15 Stats:

9.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.2 tpg (21.0 mpg)

44.4 FG%, 71.8 FT%, 35.8 3FG%, 55.5 TS%, 51.2 eFG%

23.1 USG%, 6.4 OREB%, 19.2 DREB%, 13.2 REB%, 12.5 TOV%, 3.3 STL%

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SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

While there was nothing impressive about Oubre’s perimeter shooting numbers, the potential is there for him to become a consistent threat, especially as a spot shooter long-range. At times, the lefty Oubre has a very nice looking shooting stroke. He has shown a smooth motion off the catch into a quick, high release with good rotation. He does There are some problems with his shot though; for one, he doesn’t always get square to the basket, and he’ll shoot the ball with his upper body pointing towards the basket and his lower body pointed away at an angle. When he does this, not only doesn’t he get a smooth motion, but it prevents him from getting the lift he needs from long-range. Also, possibly due to a strength issue, he needs to be able to step into the shot off the catch to get a good shot off, which isn’t rare, but it shows how much work Oubre still has to do to develop his perimeter shooting ability. Lastly, he can struggle with short-arming his shot, especially if he senses a defender closing, and he will rush the shot before he gets to his normal release point. Oubre has shown little ability to hit shots off the dribble, though it’s more an issue of him getting the bounce he needs on the shot than his actual shooting. When he does clear enough space to get into his shooting motion, he can be effective as a mid-range shooter, but he will need to work on getting into his shot quicker. As a pick-and-roll ballhandler, Oubre uses screens well to create space for his jumper; but in the mid-range area only, but it’s not something he does often, preferring to go to the basket. He’s not very good at creating space with his dribble, and he should look to add jab steps and fakes to create space when needed. In terms of range, Oubre seemed to struggle at time with the college three-point line, and streamlining his motion and adding strength will be needed to be a decent threat from the NBA three-point line. Oubre showed good shot selection, rarely forcing bad perimeter shots. Oubre didn’t look to move off the ball much to set up jumpers, instead relying on sliding to open spaces of off post-ups or penetration.

Ballhandling/Penetration/Passing

Oubre is an above-average ballhandler, with the ability to use both hands well, and able to get to the basket in either direction, though, for a left-hander, he really likes to go to his right. Oubre has a good first step to the basket, and he uses his agility and long strides to maneuver around defenders. Oubre has good body control, and his footwork is smooth as he makes his way to the basket, and, generally, he is careful with the ball, keeping it close to his body as he makes his move. Oubre can drive in either direction to the basket well, though he can only finish with his left, which can create some awkward looking shots with the amount he drives to his right. Switching the ball back to his left hand to shoot, after driving to his right, often brings it right into the defender, though he has shown a nice spin move, when he has space, which will allow him to clear room to shoot with his left. Oubre can have trouble finishing around the basket, and he doesn’t really have the strength to finish through shot-blockers, though when he has space, his leaping ability allows him to finish in some spectacular ways. Oubre goes strong at the basket when he’s looking to score, and he draws a good amount of contact and whistles. If help defenders rotate quickly, he does need to work on a short jumper/floater around the lane. Oubre will use screens to try and clear space to get into the lane as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, though he needs to do a better job getting his shoulder down and coming off the screen tight, instead of the wide arc he usually takes. He sees the floor well at times, but he will look to score rather than pass, even in traffic. Oubre is very good at hitting open spaces on the floor, especially cuts to the basket off penetration.

Free Throw Shooting

Oubre is an average free throw shooter, though with some adjustments and consistency, he should improve. He has a consistent routine and compact motion, though he has some consistency issues with his motion into his shot and release. On some shots, he has a tendency to short-arm his shot, with the effect of almost pushing the ball towards the basket. Still, when he finds that correct rhythm, his shot is fine, so it’s a matter of repetition to work out the kinks. Oubre does a very good job drawing contact when attacking the basket or getting out in transition, getting to the free-throw line at a 44 percent rate. As Oubre likes to go strong at the basket off the dribble, he draws a fair deal of contact, and even when he’s not trying, like when he makes a move to the right and brings the ball back to his left, he draws a good deal of contact, if the shot isn’t blocked.

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Oubre has the physical tools to be a good perimeter defender; he just doesn’t have the skill or understanding yet. On the ball, he positions himself well, though his stance isn’t very good, often being close to standing straight up. Oubre’s lateral movement is good, he’s just a bit slow, and players have little trouble beating him on the corner. His lateral movement would probably be quicker if he was lower in his stance. Generally, he also reacts a bit slow to his man’s movements, and he can have trouble adjusting quickly to changes in direction. Oubre’s wingspan of over 7’2 allows him to disrupt shots and passes, and he does a good job trying to keep his arms active. Oubre can have some problems getting caught in screens, often relying on going under the screen, leaving shooters some space. He does close well on shooters though, and his length allows him to try and alter shots in the lane and on the perimeter. Off the ball, Oubre positions himself well and he seems to move much better when using his length to deny passing lanes. His awareness isn’t great, but it is improving, and by the end of last season, he was much quicker about getting into help positons. Oubre is quick to jump passing lanes or trap, though he needs to watch a tendency to cheat too far towards helping and leaving too much space, or being too slow to recover to his man. Oubre can have some difficulties navigating screens off the ball, though he did show some ability to play angles well to meet his man quickly. In time, I think Oubre can become an above-average defender at the NBA level, though maturing physically and having a better understanding of defensive concepts will be needed.

Rebounding

Oubre can be a good rebounder, especially since he doesn’t have the strength to battle with bigger players. He tracks shots well, and is quick to go after missed shots, using his quick leaping ability and extension to grab the ball. On the offensive glass, he doesn’t crash often, but he is very good at rebounding his own missed shots, getting a second jump before others have finished their first. He still has problems finishing amongst the bigger defenders, but he can be so quick to the ball that he draws contact. Oubre uses the same tools to rebound on defense; he tracks the ball and goes strong after it, though he should look to put a body on someone. Like many young players, he’ll often try to push the ball himself in transition after grabbing a rebound, though it’s not a very good idea.

Transition

Oubre runs the floor very well, his long strides getting him up court quickly, and can be a good transition scorer, though it’s ideal to take the ball out of his hands and have him run one of the wings. Oubre looks to push the ball quickly up the floor, and while he is a good ballhandler, he runs into trouble if the transition defenders look to stop him up high. He doesn’t look to give up the ball quickly and instead will try to force his way to the basket, sometimes losing control in the process. Oubre is much better on the wing where he can attack the basket off the dribble or spot up behind the arc. If he finds space, he can finish strong at the basket, but if the defense gets back to protect the rim, he can have his usual problems scoring.

Intangibles/Summary

After a slow start to his freshman season (he played less than 10 minutes in five of his first seven games), Oubre started to come along by the end of the calendar year. His season as a whole was inconsistent, but he showed improvement in many areas by the time the NCAA Tournament game around. Oubre is at his best when looking to attack the basket, using his length and athletic ability to get to the rim. He is a skilled ballhandler, and though he can have some trouble scoring once he gets to the basket, he really does a good job getting there. Once he develops physically, he should become more capable of finishing in those situations, though in the meantime, he still draws a lot of contact due to his agility forcing defenders off-balance. While Oubre hit just 36 percent of his 95 attempts from three-point range, he showed a nice, though inconsistent, shooting stroke at times; he just needs to keep working on his motion and release. Oubre runs the floor well in transition, and though it’s best not to let him push the ball himself, he can be a strong scorer when running one of the wings. Long and athletic, Oubre has the physical tools to be a good defender; he just needs to put a lot of work in on his technique and learning how to be an effective defender. Still, his long arms allow him to be disruptive, whether it’s denying passing lanes or closing on shooters. As I mentioned, Oubre did show continued development throughout the season, and he likely hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he may be capable of as a player. If he can match his skills to his athletic ability, he could be a very fun player to watch in the future, but there’s a lot of development that needs to happen first.

Draft Value: Late Lottery to Mid-First – #12-20

While Oubre has the physical tools to play in the NBA, the game is not close to ready. Still, there is a solid foundation for coaches to work with, and if put in the right situation where he can continue to develop at his own pace, he could be a solid role player by the end of his rookie contract. Ideally, he will go to a team with a veteran starter at his position for Oubre to learn from over the next few years.

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