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Kelly Oubre Jr: Washington Wizards Hoping To Secure Future Centerpiece

By Osman Baig

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The Washington Wizards shocked many (none more than me) when they moved up to the 15th overall selection to draft Kelly Oubre Jr.

In spite of Ernie Grunfeld’s insistence pre-draft that the organization was going to select the best player available, it was still expected that it would be a stretch-4 type (Bobby Portis) or immediate bench help (Justin Anderson/Jerian Grant) when it was their time to pick. Instead they didn’t even wait for their selection — they decided to jump when they saw the jewel in their eyes (see what I did there) Kelly Oubre Jr. slide to within striking distance.

Outside of limiting their spending in 2016 and beyond, the Wizards have been operating like a team that’s interested in winning now. Their 2014 selection was traded for Marcin Gortat, their ’14 second round selection was sold for cash considerations and the bench was comprised of older veterans that the coaching staff could trust.

A roster which was very recently one of the youngest in the NBA had quickly been turned over into one of the oldest. So when the Wizards decided to take a very promising but raw player like Kelly Oubre with their lone first round selection in this year’s draft, it was undoubtedly surprising, but that surprise is exactly what this organization needed.

Kelly Oubre Jr. in a lot of senses is an unknown.

What we do know or have learned since draft day is that Oubre was a highly touted player coming out of high school; a McDonald’s All-American expected to fill the shoes of last year’s #1 overall selection, Andrew Wiggins.

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He had a rough start to his freshman season at Kansas, logging no more than 17 minutes or scoring in double figures in a single game through the first 9 games on the schedule.

Things began to turn and his conference play numbers were respectable at 10.2 points per game on 44 percent shooting from the field in 23 minutes per game.

Those numbers aren’t great, but not terrible either and mixed in were strong performances including 19/9 versus Oklahoma, 18/6 versus Baylor, and 25/6 versus TCU in conference tournament play.

However for every strong game, there was a game were Oubre was in essence a non-factor such as a 3-point outing in 17 minutes of play in the Big 12 Title Game. Kelly Oubre Jr was a freshman and had the typical highs and lows of a freshman transitioning to a higher level of play.

His season at Kansas made it difficult to come up with a consensus as to where he ranked amongst draft prospects and what type of player he could be. His projections ranged from mid-lottery to the teens and in terms of comps, comparisons to Trevor Ariza and Rudy Gay were made.

Trevor Ariza and Rudy Gay? Not the same type of player but that highlights the point; people don’t really know what to make out of Kelly Oubre Jr. So what is he? Is he a 3&D or can he create his own shot? Are the struggles he had at Kansas indicative of a slow learning curve as he acclimates to the NBA?

There’s an unknown to his game, to his upside that makes this an intriguing selection by the Wizards — one that can have signification ramifications to the future of this organization.

The Washington Wizards know what they have in John Wall and Bradley Beal; a talented young backcourt that can be amongst the best in the NBA.

They are also just now beginning to see what they have in Otto Porter, who flashed serious 3&D potential in the playoffs averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds per game in 33 minutes off the bench while shooting 37.5% from the 3-point line.

When it comes to the young core of the roster, that’s unfortunately where it stops, or at least had stopped prior to the draft.

An infusion of youth, athleticism, and talent was needed to the roster, to help modernize the roster as it adjusts to this shift to position-less basketball.

The core still needs that one dynamic frontcourt player, capable of carrying to scoring load and drawing the attention of the opposing defense.

As we all know, that player is not going to be a free agent until NEXT summer, but what’s plan B?

Kelly Oubre has the ability to shoot the ball, as evidenced by his 35% shooting from 3-point line as a freshman and has the tools to be a defensive playmaker so at worst the Wizards could hope he’ll develop into a capable 3 & D player.

Why stop there though? Given his length, athleticism, open court ability, and shooting, if he could add the ability to create his own offense, than what’s his limit?

At the 1:24 mark you see three consecutive possessions which highlight Oubre’s ability to attack the basket.

Of even more interest are the two consecutive possessions beginning at the 1:58 mark where Oubre shows an ability to create separation off the dribble and create room for his jumper.

I’m not suggesting that Kelly Oubre Jr. is the next Kevin Durant or has anywhere near that ability, but the Wizards are planning on swinging for the fences next offseason and if they swing and miss, there has to be a plan B in place.

The reality is there is no plan B to Kevin Durant in free agency but developing from within is a start. Would taking perhaps a safer prospect like Bobby Portis or Justin Anderson been the better option or was swinging for the fences, similarly to how they’re planning on doing so next summer, the better route?

A little luck and solid development will be needed, but gambling on a prospect who has all the tools like Kelly Oubre Jr can be the start of that plan B. If he plateaus at a Trevor Ariza type of 3 & D, the Wizards would have done remarkably well. If he develops his own offense and turns into something more, the sky is the limit.

With such limited college experience, Kelly Oubre Jr is very much like an empty canvass, but all the paints and brushes are there at the Wizards disposal. What they make out of him will depend on their vision for his development, patience, and hard work by all parties.

With Summer League mini-camp underway and with the Wizards first Summer League game just days away, they’re about to begin the process of finding out what they have and may have already started hedging their big bet in 2016.

Next: Summer League: A Deeper Look Into Washington's Roster

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