Atlanta Hawks: First-Round NBA Draft Options
Mar 13, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talks with guard Devonte Graham (4) and guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) in a time out of the game against the Baylor Bears during the semifinals round of the Big 12 Championship at Sprint Center. Kansas won 62-52. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Height: 6′ 7”, Weight: 203 lbs, Wingspan: 7′ 2.25”, Position: SF, Age: 19, College: Kansas. SF. Kansas. Kelly Oubre. 3. player. 125
The Atlanta Hawks seem primarily focused on finding a defensive-minded power forward, but also want to add strong wing defenders. Oubre meets the latter requirement, and had many strong defensive displays during his lone year at Kansas. With a 7’ 2’’ wingspan, Oubre hopes to develop a game that compares to Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard –defensive specialists that successfully pick their spots on offense.
Oubre is a raw talent who will also need time to polish his play. During his freshman season, he averaged 9.3 points and 5 rebounds playing only 21 minutes per game. He displayed impressive efficiency, shooting almost 50% from the field and over 35% from three. Oubre could be the best wing prospect in the draft, and is a difficult player for many to accurately place. He will warrant serious consideration from the Hawks if he falls the middle of the first round.
Mock Draft Selections:
- Johnathan Givony, DraftExpress.com
- Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com
Next: Another Look at a Great Small Forward