Wiz of Awes
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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) /
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WASHINGTON, DC –  DECEMBER 14: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards dunks against the Charlotte Hornets on December 14, 2016 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC –  DECEMBER 14: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards dunks against the Charlotte Hornets on December 14, 2016 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Oubre is coming into his own

The Wizards’ needed a primary backup for Otto Porter, Jr., at the small forward position. Oubre made sense. He was the exciting, high-flying teammate that would play alongside John Wall. That’s what Wizards fans had thought. For lack of a better term, Oubre was Wittman’d for the majority of his rookie season.

I know what you’re saying, what is this person talking about, and why is he making up words? Well, the official term from the D.C. sports fan handbook, defines it as the act of being held back by former Wizards’ Coach Randy Wittman.

Oubre saw the court 63 times during his rookie campaign, and most of those minutes were during garbage time. It wasn’t until veterans like Gary Neal and Alan Anderson sustained injuries, for Oubre to crack the regular rotation.

It was similar to what Washington fans saw Porter go through, during his rookie year. As a result, just like his time in Kansas, Oubre received limited playing time in Washington.

Subsequently, a glimmer of hope came in the form of a coaching change, when Coach Scott Brooks took over. Brooks’ willingness to develop, play and push Oubre, worked wonders last season.

Brooks’ first order of business – have Oubre buy into becoming an elite defender. His wingspan and quickness provides him with a unique skill set. He’s able to disrupt opposing wings. While his speed allows him to be in the passing lanes.

Below, is an example of Oubre’s athleticism on full display. These defensive highlights show that Oubre is on the cusp of being an elite defender.

He posses everything one would want in a lock down defender –  physicality, quick closeouts, lateral quickness, and physicality.

While he’s able to get it done on the defensive end, he still leaves a lot to be desired offensively. I say that with much pause, because Oubre shows flashes of brilliance on the offensive end at times.

His constant energy and frequent slashing, has led to many second-chance points and offensive rebounds. Not to mention when he played alongside the starters last season, he saw significant strides across the board.

However, the area in which he has struggled the most – is shot creation, consistently making his threes, and decision making when driving to the basket.

Last season, Oubre needed to get rid of the kinks in his game. It was a season of growth for the pesky defender. All season long, the Wizards’ second unit was abysmal. While Oubre was the only consistent player coming off the bench.

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