PHILADELPHIA– Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. has fit the team like a glove after being picked up late in free agency. The Sixers signed the veteran out of Kansas to a one-year deal shortly before training camp.
In 14 games with the Sixers, Oubre is averaging 14.3 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 50.3% from the floor and 35.5% from deep. Both percentages are career highs for him, and he has been terrific on the defensive end as well.
Oubre, along with free agent pickup Patrick Beverley, have been great fits in Philadelphia and he gave his thoughts on why.
“It’s just a place for dogs, honestly,” Oubre explained. “It’s a place for you to come and be hard-nosed, but be a professional. Me and Pat are a lot the same. We operate on love, but we also operate on just going to get it. Get what we go after. So, I think that the city really appreciates that and we appreciate them because we’re all one of a kind so it’s all love.”
Oubre has been playing tough-nosed basketball throughout the season and he has been terrific as both a starter and reserve. He has constantly said he wants to be like water, meaning going with the flow and doing what coach Nick Nurse asks of him. That is an important mindset to have.
It helps Oubre and everybody else out on the perimeter be aggressive on defense knowing that Joel Embiid is back there to clean up any defensive mistakes.
“Absolutely,” he added. “Last year was my first year playing with a big 5 like that with (Hornets big man) Mark Williams who is a great shot blocker, but he was young, and JoJo knows how to block shots. He knows how to be vertical and not give fouls, so it allows us to be a little more aggressive up top.”
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