Kelly Oubre Jr. will likely play a pivotal role for the Golden State Warriors next season. Klay Thompson’s unfortunate injury opened the door for a second star to emerge alongside Stephen Curry, and the 24-year-old could ostensibly be that star.
That said, a bright future ahead hasn’t made Oubre forget what happened in the past.
On Tuesday, Oubre appeared on the Damon, Ratto & Kolsky show on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and revealed how happy he was to be done with Phoenix.
“I can play for an owner, somebody who actually cares about the organization and not just the perception of the organization on the media end of it,” he said. “It’s all about the foundation for me, man. You have a beautiful foundation, can build a beautiful [future].”
Last year Oubre averaged 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and there’s no reason to think that similar or better numbers won’t be within reach for him in Golden State.
“As a young individual coming into this league, I’ve had to prove myself,” Oubre said. “I’ve had people calling me all types of — what they thought that I was as an individual, as a basketball player, yada yada … and I can really relate to the guys who have put the Hall of Fame marks on their own name when they had a lot of questions coming into the league as well,” he continued.
“I’m sure from a lot of the same people that are questioning me. So, I feel like we have a lot that we can relate to, and they’ve got each and everything they’ve gotten out of the mud. And that’s exactly where I’ve come into play, too.”
Oubre is also eager to learn from the likes of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green.
“I’m obviously a younger individual who can really, really learn from how they were to handle these certain adverse times, and people saying they weren’t going to be this [or that],” he said.
“Which they are now. And I want to show everybody that I can potentially be a Hall of Fame player as well. Who is better to learn from than guys like Klay, guys like Steph, guys like Draymond. Guys like everybody that’s been through this organization.”
Golden State signed Oubre by bringing his salary into the $17.2 million trade exception created when the team traded Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies last season.
Due to Oubre’s salary of $14.4 million and the $68 million in taxes they now have to pay, the Warriors’ decision to add the young sharpshooter will cost the franchise $82 million.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
