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 – OCTOBER 6: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball against the New York Knicks during the preseason game on October 6, 2017 at Capital One Arena 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 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 6: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball against the New York Knicks during the preseason game on October 6, 2017 at Capital One Arena 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 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Riding the wave towards success

So where can Oubre go from here? I believe the sky is the limit for the artist known as Wavi Papi. Someone who is helping him reach that potential is NBA trainer Drew Hanlen. Hanlen has trained the likes of Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, and Joel Embiid to name a few.

After another off-season working with Hanlen, Oubre’s game should blossom before our eyes.

During the preseason, Oubre has already flashed some moves, he most likely picked up from Hanlen. Most notably, Kelly has been pushing the ball up the court more comfortably, hitting his trailing threes, and more importantly using his right hand while driving to the hoop.

A lot shouldn’t be read into the preseason. However, the fact that Oubre’s rarely flashed this style of play in his first two seasons, gives me hope, and I’m excited to see what Oubre has in store.

As I wrap this up, have you had some time to think about my original question? Who is Kelly Oubre Jr. to you? To most, I assume their only memory of Oubre, is him charging at Kelly Olynyk during last season’s playoffs. Although it made for great TV, it wasn’t indicative of who Oubre is as a player or person.

To me, Kelly Oubre Jr. is hungry, determined to be great, a competitor, has true character, and more importantly is just a straight up ball player, that plays with a chip on his shoulder.

All the physical tools are there for Oubre to become a great player in this league. This year he’ll take another step forward, and ride the wave to prosperity.

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