Kelly Oubre's antics above the rim haven't gone unnoticed. While Oubre has become a fixture of highlight reels with his ability to finish, the Golden State Warriors swingman added a two-time NBA Slam Dunk champion to his list of admirers.
Former Warriors star Jason Richardson joined Warriors Live Pregame on Thursday and offered his praise of Oubre (via Katie Woo of NBC Sports).
“I think he's going to bring the crowd down with some of his dunks once the fans are back in the arena. He’s very athletic, I’ve been watching him for a couple of years now. I think he had a real breakout year last year with Phoenix. He played really well, had a career year. Seeing his athleticism, the way he gets up and down the floor and dunks, it’s fun to see.”
While Oubre has failed to replicate the offensive efficiency he produced last season with the Phoenix Suns, the 25-year-old forward has continued his perennial assault on rims across the NBA. Before their game against the New York Knicks on Thursday, he was putting up 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, although he's only shooting 36.6 percent from the floor, including a dismal 21.8 percent from behind the arc.
Acquired in a trade by the Warriors in the aftermath of the injury to Klay Thompson, the team initially hoped that Oubre could become a consistent scoring partner to Steph Curry while harnessing his athleticism to provide solid defense along the perimeter. The former Kansas star, however, has yet to consistently show those this season.
While fans have undoubtedly enjoyed watching Kelly Oubre Jr. fly off the ground, they would likely trade a few dunks for a slightly shooting to help the Warriors get more victories.
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