Kelly Oubre Jr. reflected on a turbulent season and uncertain future after the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated in a 144-114 playoff loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
The veteran forward did not frame the year in simple terms, instead emphasizing growth through adversity. “Haven’t really been able to decompress. But I would say we took a step forward from the efforts that we put out last year,” Oubre said.
He pointed to the team’s internal connection as a key takeaway. “I think that we were able to build some form of camaraderie, some form of brotherhood throughout our trials and tribulations this year. That’s all you can kind of ask for,” he added.
Despite the playoff exit, Oubre described the group’s unity as the defining element of the season. “I can’t really give it a grade, but I had fun. I enjoyed all my teammates. Everybody’s an amazing human being and a brother to me,” he said.
The emotional toll of the ending was also clear. “It’s tough to go out like this, but at the end of the day, we made sure that we kept tight huddles throughout it all because we’re all in this together,” Oubre said.
Philadelphia’s season included multiple stretches of adversity, something Oubre referenced directly. “Although a lot of people were going to kick us while we’re down, the guys that are in that locker room and on this team, we all had to just fight through a lot of stuff and we ended up here.”
Looking ahead to free agency, Oubre acknowledged uncertainty but also comfort in his time with the franchise. “Yeah, I love it here, of course. But this is not my first rodeo,” he said.
He added perspective on his career journey. “I’ve averaged 20 points in this league and still found myself barely getting any contracts. But at the end of the day, I learned so much,” Oubre said.
The forward emphasized growth over validation. “I hope I did myself a good service by being more efficient, slowing down, playing better overall basketball, and continuing to grow as a human being and as a player. We’ll see where the chips fall.”
His offseason focus is centered on refinement and decision-making. “For me personally, just making reads, attacking the rim, shooting a lot of jump shots,” he said, outlining his priorities.
He also stressed the importance of situational improvement. “I’ve been in this thing for 11 seasons now and I have to be able to make reads and be able to see plays before they happen.”
Oubre also discussed the development of teammates, including rookie VJ Edgecombe. “VJ is my brother and I don’t think that this was a rookie year because it didn’t look like it,” Oubre said.
He praised the young guard’s trajectory. “I just want to see him reach his full potential that he can possibly reach in this league. It’s still early and he’s going to have to learn, just like we all have.”
On Tyrese Maxey, Oubre highlighted maturity and resilience. “More seasoned. Been through a lot, very battle tested. He’s a mature individual. I think he’s found his voice and he’s been able to back that up on the court,” he said.
He also pointed to Maxey’s offseason habits. “I know that they’ll keep him levelheaded throughout this offseason. He’ll be in the gym. I’ll see him in the gym this summer for sure.”
Oubre’s final reflections returned to team identity and accountability. “We got to just get better, mentally, physically, and spiritually,” he said, framing the offseason as a reset rather than an endpoint.
