Kelly Oubre Jr. is no stranger to business. In his six seasons in the NBA, he played on four different teams. It is the most difficult part of the job.
So when the rumors about Oubre started circulating on Tuesday afternoon, nothing was known to him. But that doesn’t make it any less difficult to deal with.
“I say this to players all the time, and I say this to Kelly: this is where you really earn your money,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Wednesday’s 123-111 victory over Minnesota Timberwolves. “The basketball part is the easy part. But packing up your family and leaving, getting hurt, being booed or reading your name in commercial rumors, those things are not easy. I was very proud of Kelly. He handled it very well. … He came and played one of his best games. He was really the key to finally gaining strength in the game in the second half. “
Kerr texted Oubre on Wednesday afternoon, reminding him not to allow rumors to come to his head. After the game, Kerr approached Oubre again, letting him know how proud he was.
Rumors surrounding Oubre include him being negotiated with the New Orleans Pelicans by Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick. According to Kerr, a coach called the Warriors on Tuesday morning to simply ask about Oubre, but no offer was formally or informally made.
These conversations and rumors are almost impossible to ignore. Oubre was well aware of them. But he didn’t believe it affected his game. If they did, they had only a positive impact.
Oubre scored 16 points in the second quarter of the Warriors’ victory – the maximum he has scored in a single period. Over the 18 games that Oubre played with the Golden State uniform, and the six games he played the most with the second unit, Oubre’s increasing level of comfort with the team is showing. He has more confidence in what he is doing, which leads him to play with better execution and efficiency.
“Just being able to lead the attack, play with the guys and continuously bring energy to the second unit, is an incredible slot for me,” said Oubre. “To run, take my time, find my pace.”
Oubre ended the night with 20 points from 7 of 9 shots, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block, and also brought something that will not appear on the scoreboard, but it was fundamental for the victory: energy and showmanship. He took charge, flew to a Naz Reid poster and took another celebration out of his repertoire.
“I like to introduce myself,” said Oubre. “My job is to go out there, perform and do a show. Obviously, there are no fans this year, so it kind of dulls that element of the game, but that’s part of my job. Getting out there and making people feel like they are on the court or feel the energy of the court. It’s an invisible element in this game that I love. “
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He had a different tenacity on Wednesday night. Maybe it was just that someone needed to take the Warriors out of the lull with which they started the game. Perhaps it was him catching up after two initial fouls sent him to the bench. Or he was trying to prove something.
Whether to the Warriors directly or to those outside the organization saying he shouldn’t be here, he sent a message. It was clear on the court, but if it wasn’t, he spelled it post-game.
“I am a Warrior,” said Oubre. “Let’s get this f-king ring.”