Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Washington Wizards: A Wave of Ascendancy Awaits Kelly Oubre, Jr.

By Nicholas Arguelles

ASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 06: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center on February 6, 2017 in Washington, DC.Ê NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.Ê (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
ASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 06: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center on February 6, 2017 in Washington, DC.Ê NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.Ê (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
Kansas guard Kelly Oubre Jr. celebrates after the Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma 85-78 on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan. Kansas squandered a 19-point halftime lead and had to rally in the final minutes to win the game. (Travis Heying/Wichita Eagle/TNS via Getty Images)
Kansas guard Kelly Oubre Jr. celebrates after the Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma 85-78 on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan. Kansas squandered a 19-point halftime lead and had to rally in the final minutes to win the game. (Travis Heying/Wichita Eagle/TNS via Getty Images) /

Kelly Oubre Jr. is entering his third season in the NBA with the Washington Wizards. At age 21, Oubre has shown his youth in more ways than one on the hardwood. While many have overlooked him, the youthful small forward, that goes by the alias of Wavi Papi, continues to be on an upward trend, and this season he will prove his detractors wrong.

Who is Kelly Oubre Jr.? No, I mean it. Whether you’re a viewer of the Washington Wizards from afar or die-hard fan, who is Kelly Oubre Jr. to you? Before you answer, let’s take a moment to reflect. This article will attempt to provide some clarity about the player, also known as Wavi Papi.

In the fall of 2014, Oubre’s first stop was Kansas. While in college, Oubre was tasked with being the replacement for Andrew Wiggins, who was selected as the number one pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

While there was much to be excited about, particularly his freak athleticsm, Oubre still had a steep learning curve under Coach Bill Self.

Oubre’s time as a Jayhawk

To start with, Oubre found it hard to earn playing time. The former Jayhawk only played an average of eight minutes per game, in his first seven contests. His lack of minutes was due in part to his inconsistent play on the defensive end, and struggles in the half-court set.

Oubre still earned the respect of his coach. Proving his worth, he was able to gain more time on the floor. With his first college season under his belt, it was clear that Oubre reflected what a prototypical NBA wing looked like.

Oubre was an excellent athlete. He had length, defensive capabilities, was able to run in transition, and showed the potential to score.

As the 15th overall pick of the 2015 NBA draft class, there were still some knocks on Oubre’s game. During a post-draft discussion on the Grantland Post Podcast, ESPN‘s Chad Ford and Ryen Russilo had this to say about Oubre’s time in Kansas:

"Russilo: The way he would attack the rim sometimes, you would just want to tell Oubre, “Hey, this isn’t working, OK?” These drives, it’s great to be able to say you want to drive to the rim, but eventually it has to pay off with some sort of a reward for the team, and it didn’t always happen. Ford: He’s never had training, he’s never been taught, he’s never looked at film, he doesn’t really know what’s going on. The word a basketball GM used was “basketball illiterate.” And I think nobody really taught him how to read, right? He just went out and played. Based on everything we’ve heard."

Was their assessment fair? I’d have to agree for the most part, outside of the “basketball illiterate” comment. Nonetheless, the cards were set on the table for all 30 NBA teams to see, and there was enough for the Wizards to take a chance on Oubre.

Home/Wizards News