OKC Thunder Draft: Breaking Down Team’s Top Choices
By David Ramil
Feb 2, 2015; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) celebrates after scoring during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Kelly Oubre, Jr.
Reviewer: Holly Hutto (@HollyHutto)
Strengths: Early scouting reports point to Oubre’s defensive upside and it’s not hard to see why. At 6’7″ with an immense 7’2″ wingspan, he can harass wings and has the speed to stay with most guards along the perimeter. He has the ability to lock down an opponent and has drawn some (optimistic) comparisons to Kawhi Leonard. He shows some nice shooting touch (nearly 36 percent from 3-point range) and is a capable scorer in transition (about 23.7 percent of his scoring comes on the break). But the most tantalizing aspect of Oubre is his upside – he has the potential to be an All-Star for years to come.
Weaknesses: It’s hard to predict Oubre’s future based on just one season at Kansas but there are areas for concern. His effort wasn’t always consistent and he didn’t always seemed engaged on the defensive end. His ball-handling is suspect and he’s not strong with the left-hand dribble. Oubre can be a playmaker but his passing wasn’t always on display and he averaged just .8 assists per game with the Jayhawks. While these traits can be corrected, it’s a reason why Oubre may not be ready to contribute right away.
How Does He Fit? With the overall #14 pick, the Thunder may end up having the chance to place a bet on Oubre’s future. If Presti decides to hold on to this pick, this particular gamble will be anything but a shocking move to longtime fans of the team. OKC’s roster goes deep and, if healthy next season, it’ll be the dominant force of the tenacious Western Conference. The combination of roster depth and roster capacity means that Oklahoma City isn’t in dire straits to go after immediate star power on Thursday. They need to fill a role, not land a star and if adding depth to the wing is their biggest need, then the right choice is Kelly Oubre.
Next: The Small-School Prospect