Washington Wizards’ Kelly Oubre Jr. spins the ball on his finger during a portrait session for team photographer Stephen Gosling after an NBA basketball news conference, Friday, June 26, 2015, in Washington. Washington moved up four spots in the first round to get the Kansas freshman in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who selected Oubre with the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft the night before. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Washington Wizards used the 2015 NBA draft on June 25 to add depth to their wing unit, trading for 15th overall pick Kelly Oubre Jr., a small forward from the University of Kansas.
Washington was originally awarded the 19th overall pick in this year’s draft after finishing the season with the fifth-best regular season record in the Eastern Conference and reaching the semifinals. But they traded that pick, along with two future second-round picks, to take Oubre 15th overall.
A six-feet, seven-inches tall, the 200-pound small forward brings immediate athleticism to the wing position for the Wizards. His seven-foot, two-inch wingspan aids him as a scrappy, smothering defender on the perimeter who can create turnovers that often lead to quick transition points.
Oubre, 19, is considered by most scouts to be “raw” offensively. An NBA.com scouting report explained that he lacks ball-handling skills and needs to improve his mid-range shooting game. But Oubre does possess some scoring skills, including the ability to drive to the basket and finish in traffic, as well as shoot the deep ball.
Former NBA player and current TV analyst Jalen Rose compared Oubre’s potential to former Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza, an effective wing player who helped Washington reach the playoffs in 2014. Ariza left Washington following that postseason to rejoin the Houston Rockets, and the Wizards signed veteran small forward Paul Pierce to replace him in the starting lineup. But Pierce is 37-years-old and lacks the explosive athleticism offered by younger wing players. Although Washington will lean on sophomore forward Otto Porter to mostly fill that void, Oubre could also contribute in that area.