Why Kelly Oubre is bullish on Charlotte Hornets and wants ‘to be here for a long time’
Kelly Oubre is calm as usual, emanating his typical low-key vibe when he offers a profound perspective of his new surroundings.
“I had no expectations,” the Charlotte Hornets swingman said. “It feels good obviously to come in and seamlessly fit in. For me, I just want to have a flow with everything that I do. So me coming in fitting in, it’s more deeper on a relationship level because I want to be here for a long time. So the sooner we can kind of cover the bases of building a foundation, the sooner we can grow as individuals and together as collectives. So I think that’s the most important thing.”
The way Oubre conformed to his role, serving mostly as a sixth man off the bench, is one of the reasons for the Hornets’ early season success. Who knows where they would be without his services.
Oubre put up 20 or more points in four of the past five games leading into Sunday night’s game in Atlanta and scored 25 or better in three of those contests. One such outing came in Milwaukee on Wednesday when he nailed five 3-pointers. He’s tied for 12th in the league in made 3-pointers with 64 and sixth in 3-pointers off the bench with 53.
That’s not all. He’s one of two reserves with five or more 25-point games, the other being Miami’s Tyler Herro, and is averaging 22.8 points over his past five games, tying him for 17th in the league during that same stretch. Off the bench overall, he is averaging 16 points and 3.6 rebounds in 19 games, the third-highest bench scoring average.
Sum that up and he’s been pretty good. Oubre easily ranks among the top free agent signings in the offseason. He’s almost like a chameleon, assimilating himself in his new environment so rapidly that it’s almost hard to remember life around the team without him.
A few short months is what it took to get embedded into the Hornets’ family-like atmosphere.
“Yeah, that’s what it is,” Oubre said. “It’s home and it’s family. These are like my brothers. We are around so much — especially to start the season off on the road so much — we have to confide in and lean on each other for support.
“So that just helps things go faster, us not being in our comfort zones, having to rely on each other and see each other every day. It kind of makes us have more and more respect and get to know each other a little bit more. And so that’s important.”
Oubre spoke with The Observer about a range of things, including why he really wants to remain with the Hornets for years to come, his kiss-blowing routine, trademark blond locks and more.
Roderick Boone: Your 3-point percentage is above your career average and you’re shooting it confidently. What’s that feel like, giving others room to make plays on the court?
Kelly Oubre: It feels good. I don’t take anything for granted; I’m super humble. I’m grateful that I’m able to shoot the ball and make shots this season, I guess. Because last year, I still hear those rings of what everybody was saying when I wasn’t making shots. So it’s kind of like, ‘I told y’all. I know what I can do.’ You know what I’m saying? So I’ve just got to go out there and do it.
RB: In your play off the bench, what’s that been like? How has it been fitting in with them to make sure you guys either sustain the lead, try to get it or increase it as a unit?
KO: That’s the perks you get of having a non-bench player on the bench I guess you could say. It’s a blessing to come in there and affect the game because all I want to do is win. But I know my talent level and what my skill set is. So however I impact the game that given night is how I impact the game. I can’t go out there and force it or try to predict it. But I just want to win. I go out there and try to play the hardest, give 100% and also just have my brothers’ back when I’m out there.
RB: Can you explain the kiss blowing after you hit a 3-pointer? Where did that originate and how much do you enjoy it?
KO: Yeah it originated whenever people talk crazy. When the fans talk crazy I just blow ‘em a kiss, just to try to show some love and some positivity through it. I started whenever I got traded from D.C. to Phoenix, and we played D.C. and Boston right after I had got traded. So it was two quote-unquote rivals for me, and I was just filled with gratitude that I was out of a situation and able to spread my wings. So I was just showing love and blowing kisses to everybody.
RB: It seems like it’s something you still like to do.
KO: Now, I more so do it to my family in the crowd, and the fans, and kind of make it interactive to them. But I used to point at people and kind of be facetious with it.
RB: You mentioned earlier that you wanted to be here for a long time. How did you get to that realization so rapidly?
KO: Yeah, man, I’m from the South. My grandma, a lot of things in my life kind of led to me being here. My grandma used to live out in North Carolina whenever I was a young baby. So I always kind of had that myth of North Carolina in the back of my head. But now that I’m here I can see why she was in love with it. It’s a total different speed than California, from the West Coast, even from Texas of the South or Louisiana.
But it’s just a blessing to be able to be out here and play for a team (with the name) that I started rooting for first. The New Orleans Hornets’ (name) came back to Charlotte and now they are Charlotte Hornets. So it’s just the stars are aligned here. I definitely want to make this place a home. I haven’t been anywhere for more than like three or four years in my career. So to be able to set that up for myself and my family would be amazing.
RB: What about the city itself? How much are you enjoying everything that comes with being in Charlotte and the region as a whole?
KO: It’s all love, man. It’s all love. I just continuously do what I do, put on for my city and my family. And as I receive the love of people who see me out in public or if I’m ever around fans, I feel the gratitude that they exude. But it’s all love, man. I’m doing this s--- for my family and the city of Charlotte. So that’s what it is. I feel like we have that relationship and are continuously growing that relationship every day that I’m here.
RB: From everything I gather, you are into fashion and even have your own clothing line. What are you doing with it now and how much do you enjoy having your own business?
KO: Yeah that’s my creative side. Dope Soul, that’s my clothing line. But more to come. We are actually about to reopen the site and show you guys your creations and continuously be consistent with it. All businesses need a strong foundation, especially when you want to go to the top. And we want to obviously have an empire that’s on top, so we are trying to build a strong foundation. It’s taken a little longer than we expected, but we don’t have any expectations with it. But it’s coming soon. Dopesoul.com. will be the name of the site. Obviously, check out my social media and we’ll let y’all know whenever everything is going to be ready to drop.
RB: OK, can you explain the blond hairstyle? Where did that come from?
KO: It’s an ascension, man. I like to switch up my identity here and there. I’m like a very introverted individual. I keep to myself and my family. So when people don’t see me for a while they always see me and say that I look different. And I kind of get a kick out of that because the people that see me every day are the people that I love and that are as closest to me or people who are more successful than me. And I don’t give my energy to anybody, hardly nobody. It’s just one of those things I love to evolve and grow positively.
RB: You have an event coming up in a few days where you are taking some youth on a shopping spree at the Converse store at Charlotte Premium Outlets. What excites you about the event and how much do you look forward to more similar activities here?
KO: That’s everything for me. I’m just so happy that this is our first one that we get to kick off on the seventh. I’m partnering with some middle school kids and Converse to give back for the holidays and take some kids on a little shopping spree. So that’s everything to me, to pay it forward, to inspire and motivate this next generation of young athletes, creatives, artists, to want to be where I’m at today. Because I was once them. So everything is love. I just can’t wait for that.
This story was originally published December 5, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
