2015 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Kelly Oubre

The 2015 NBA Draft figures to be headlined by a pair of elite big men in Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor, both of whom could become franchise centerpieces as they rise to their seemingly limitless potential. Two high quality point guards, D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay, will likely come off the board next.

However, while big men and point guards have been the focus of draft analysts over the past month, perhaps the deepest position in the lottery is the wing spot.

Draft Express currently projects three wing players to go in the top 10 including Duke’s Justise Winslow, Arizona’s Stanley Johnson, and Mario Hezonja from Europe. Johnson’s teammate Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker have been discussed as potential lottery picks on the wing, too. But one player who has been overlooked during this entire process is Kansas’s Kelly Oubre.

With the Jayhawks’ early exit from the NCAA Tournament, Oubre flying under the radar is understandable. Outside of Hezonja, all of the remaining prospects made deep runs with their respective teams, allowing themselves greater media exposure while Oubre was sent home after a third round defeat against Wichita State.

Two things jump out that suggest Oubre belongs in the discussion with the top tier wing prospects leading up to June 25th. The first is that he has the size to play on the wing in the NBA. Oubre measured 6-7 in shoes at the Draft Combine and has a 7-2 wingspan, which ranks at the top for the wing prospects alongside Hollis-Jefferson. The second is that Oubre compares well statistically with both his fellow prospects and current NBA talent, according to KenPom. Oubre’s numbers from the 2014-15 season are similar to both Winslow and Johnson and match up well with the final college seasons of Bradley Beal and Khris Middleton.

While his numbers compare favorably to Beal’s collegiate career, Oubre isn’t ready to have an offensive impact similar to the Wizards guard. During his lone season at Kansas, Oubre was an average 3-point shooter. He finished the year having knocked down 35.8 percent of his 95 perimeter attempts, and consistency proved to be the problem. After an impressive performance in non-conference play, he only managed to connect on 32.1 percent of his attempts during Big 12 competition.

Oubre’s average shooting from both the 3-point and free throw line suggest that he needs to make improvements if he wants to be more than a mediocre shooter at the next level.

Oubre needs to work on extending his range to become an effective NBA player, but he has some offensive skills that should make a seamless transition to the next level. He is most effective when penetrating into the lane, either with his left hand (he’ll need to improve his ability to go to the right) or cuts to the basket. Oubre finished 60.3 percent of his shots at the rim this season, according to Hoop Math. He has the agility to create space and his length allows him to dunk the ball rather than rely on layups.

You can see both of those abilities on display in the following clip as he cuts into the lane while using a euro-step to create space and finishes with a strong slam against Kansas State.

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Despite any offensive limitations, Oubre should be able to find a spot in the NBA long-term due to his defensive ability. He recently suggested in an interview with Draft Express that he models his game after players like Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard — defense first guys who let their offense take time to develop. His 7-foot-2 wingspan allows him to be an effective perimeter defender, often using his length to bother opponents and generate steals. Oubre had an above average steal rate, generating a theft on 3.2 percent of opponent’s offensive possessions at Kansas.

Here, Oubre uses his quick hands to knock the ball away from his opponent before finishing with a nice dunk on the other end.

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Oubre’s length also comes into play on the defensive glass. His 19.3 percent defensive rebound rate ranked fifth in the Big 12 conference last season, an impressive achievement for a wing player. Oubre has a nose for the ball and his ability to end opponent’s possessions with his rebounding will be a nice asset for whichever NBA team drafts him in June.

Here’s a good example of Oubre using both positioning and length to snag a rebound against Kansas State earlier this season.

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Kelly Oubre has not received the sort of attention surrounding the likes of Justise Winslow and Stanley Johnson in the lead up to June 25th’s NBA Draft. However, Oubre offers a strong defensive game that should allow him to make an immediate impact at the next level by using his length and ability to rebound to disrupt opponent’s possessions. Oubre needs to develop a stronger offensive game, which should come with more practice time and coaching that can improve his shooting stroke.

While Oubre may not climb into the top 10 on draft day, his talent and potential at the next level will make him a successful selection for a team in the late lottery.