By CHRIS RUSSELL
Kansas freshman wing Kelly Oubre Jr. is starting to find his groove in college basketball.
After a slow start, the former McDonalds All-American has started to assert himself as a key component as the Jayhawks try to capture their 11th straight Big 12 title.
In his last four games, Oubre has averaged 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and is starting to live up to the billing as the next one-and-done player that has come out of Kansas.
“Kelly has solidified himself in that position,” head coach Bill Self said. “Right now, I’d say Kelly’s been our best wing player, and I don’t see that changing.”
Oubre has all the intangibles that an NBA scout loves. He possesses a 7-foot-2 wingspan that elevates above the rim, a polished ball handler and has a smooth 3-point jump shot that resembles former Kansas star Ben McLemore.
Oubre is currently projected as the No. 9 pick in the 2015 Draft by DraftExpress.com but could rise higher with recent performances.
“His stock truly was never that down,” one NBA scout told SNY.tv. “Just learning how to compete every night at the college level. It takes a different commitment at both ends of the floor to be successful as a college player especially when playing for Bill Self. He is now playing with more confidence.
On Sunday, Oubre was matched against former Findlay Prep teammate Rashad Vaughn. Oubre’s length wreaked havoc, forcing Vaughn to commit four turnovers while also scoring only 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting. Oubre posted a double-double, going for 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 76-61 victory over UNLV in Lawrence.
“It was a personal game for me,” said Oubre. “Me and Rashad, we go way back since last year and years past. Just playing against him, that was my goal today, just do the best I can on defense against him, because I know he’s one of the best scorers in the country, if not the best.”
The road to stardom as a freshman hasn’t been easy for Oubre. A stretch in mid-September through early December led many to question if the freshman phenom was worth the hype. In that stretch, Oubre played single-digit minutes in five of KU’s first seven games and went scoreless in three outings. The 6-foot-7 guard struggled significantly on the defensive end of the court and often struggled adjusting to the speed of the college game, something most freshman experience.
One month later, Oubre has solidified himself as the Jayhawks starting wing over Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Brannen Greene.
“If you were to look at it now,” said Self, “he went from probably being the guy that looked the least ready a month ago, to now he looks like he’s by far the most advanced. And that’s the way it is with young kids. Sometimes, the light comes on at different times.”
Photo: Denny Medley / USA Today Sports
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