Kelly Oubre Is Next Washington Wizard to Chase His Own Upside

The Washington Wizards are on the rise with a nucleus built through the NBA draft. John Wall, Bradley Beal and (hopefully) Otto Porter have each emerged as franchise cornerstones while chasing their pro potential.

The team must now hope rookie Kelly Oubre follows suit.

Whereas some rookies are NBA-ready, others have a long climb before they can match production with pre-draft expectation. When the reward is tantalizing enough, the development journey is seen as worth it.

The Wizards traded up four spots in June's first round to select Oubre, despite a relatively unconvincing freshman season. Upside managed to shine through some inconsistency at Kansas. Concerns over wavering impact have ultimately been neutralized and diminished by athleticism and versatility—an NBA-friendly combination.

Oubre himself doesn't appear to have lost sleep over a lack of college production (9.3 points per game) and reps (21 minutes per game).

"Basketball, I'm fine. I'm going to do well in the NBA," Oubre told Bleacher Report. "Kansas might have dropped my draft stock, but in the grand scheme of things—the bigger picture—I'm going to be okay."

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A 6'7" high-flier who can initiate the break, put pressure on the rim, knock down jumpers and guard multiple positions, Oubre covers a ton of ground. Out of high school, you actually got the impression he could compete for top-five consideration. 

And though he fell to No. 15 overall, Oubre didn't exactly chalk the year up as a waste of time. He touched on a number of positives he got out from his one-and-done season—most of which were related to a reduced offensive role.

"I learned how to be a better teammate, how to buy into systems—pretty much being able to contribute without putting the ball in the hole," said Oubre. "That's something I do well, but those other aspects, you have to be a good teammate and all-around player pretty much to be successful."

His confidence seems fitting for a wing whose game is predicated on shot-making and attacking. He projects as a shooter and scorer for the Wizards—a wing capable of stretching the floor from deep or getting to the rack off drives, cuts and transition. 

"My ball-handling is crazy right now. I feel like I can be a point guard—but I'm not a point guard," Oubre joked. "I've just been working on my ball-handling, my dribbling—my shot is superb. I'm definitely going to be a knockdown shooter. I've just been working my butt off, killing myself every day."

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In addition to sharpening his offensive skills over the summer, Oubre also noted he's put on 10 pounds and improved his conditioning for the uptempo NBA pace. 

"We're a running a team," said Oubre. "John [Wall] is one of the fastest—is the fastest—point guard in the league. So we're running, that's my job—I get paid to run." 

As encouraging as his offseason has sounded, we aren't likely looking at an overnight transition from teenage prospect to reliable NBA contributor.

We can't ignore his disappearing acts (single digits in scoring during four of five NCAA postseason games), 8.1 assist percentage, per Sports-Reference.com, 53 percent finishing mark around the rim, per DraftExpress and occasional defensive lapses, which suggest it will take him some time to adjust. 

"I asked John [Wall] and Brad [Beal] this: What was the hardest thing you have to overcome your rookie year?," Oubre said. "He was like, 'You're going to get it—you pretty much stop yourself.' If I don't understand something, it's because I'm not putting in the time to understand it."

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Shot selection, a poor right hand, limited playmaking ability and defensive awareness are areas that currently need addressing. 

But having signed veterans Jared Dudley, Alan Anderson and Gary Neal, the Wizards won't ask too much from their rookie in 2015-16. The newly signed Wizards were presumably brought in to produce right away on short-term affordable deals while the coaching staff develops and slowly eases Oubre in. 

Oubre is also just 19 years old on a team that has been jelling for a number of seasons. Between his inexperience and Washington's win-now mentality, he'll likely spend next year learning off the job. 

"[Oubre] Has real good upside and he can come into a situation where he can take his time and he can learn from the veterans we have on this ballclub and come along," general manager Ernie Grunfeld told the Washington Post's Jorge Castillo.

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He may have trouble finding minutes early on, but Washington's long-term starting small forward position should be there for the taking, considering Porter's true calling could be at the 4. 

A future Wall-Beal-Oubre-Porter lineup would ultimately fit the small-ball model that's become so prevalent in today's NBA.

"That will be deadly," said Oubre. "John: 1, Brad: 2, me: 3, Otto [Porter]: stretch. Otto is 6'9". He can play the 4."

It was during the 2015 NBA Playoffs, when Porter was shifted to the power forward more regularly, that he finally began to shine as a pro. This leaves a potentially perfect slot for Oubre to fill.

Time Frame	% of Mins at SF	% of Mins at PF	PER
2014-15 Regular Season	95	5	11.6
2015 Playoffs	55	45	14.1

With a clear path toward the top of the depth chart and no immediate pressure to produce, Washington looks to have been an ideal destination for Oubre out of college.

"I'm in the best position," he said. "Out of every team in the draft, out of every pick, I feel like I'm in the best position."

It's taken each member of the Wizards' core different periods of time to catch on. Wall has gradually evolved into a superstar. Beal is on the way. Porter remains in the early stages, though he made a significant leap late last year. 

Washington has recently proven it can successfully help prospects pursue and reach their potential—if it's really there. 

Oubre still comes off as a prospect who'll need two or three years to settle in. He has a long road ahead before reaching the height of his NBA ceiling, but if he gets there, we could be talking about the final piece to a franchise on the cusp of contending in the East.

Special thanks to Bleacher Report's Alex Mangini and Adam Lefkoe for interview assistance with Kelly Oubre.