76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. was struck by a motor vehicle while walking near his Philadelphia residence on Saturday and received treatment at a local hospital, a team spokesperson told ESPN. On Sunday morning, Oubre was said to have sustained broken ribs, as well as several bruises and cuts, per The Athletic, but he is in stable condition. He is expected to be sidelined for a significant period of time, however none of his injuries are considered to be season-ending, according to ESPN. Oubre was later released from the hospital, per ESPN, and will work with the 76ers’ medical staff on care for his injuries.
Local authorities are investigating the incident.
In his ninth NBA season, Oubre joined the 76ers this past offseason after stints with the Wizards, Suns, Warriors and Hornets to begin his career. The 6-foot-7 swingman has flourished early in Philadelphia, averaging 16.3 points and 5.1 rebounds on 38% 3-point shooting in eight games.
The 76ers have needed Oubre’s scoring to start the season with James Harden recently being traded to the LA Clippers. Depending on how much time Oubre misses, Philadelphia will likely lean on the bevy of the forwards picked up in that deal: Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris and KJ Martin. Of that group, only Batum and Covington have received significant playing time from head coach Nick Nurse thus far.
The 76ers have raced out to a 7-1 start, the best in the Eastern Conference. Oubre has been a large part of their success so far, with the team scoring nearly seven more points per 100 possessions with him on the court compared to when he’s on the bench. Finding a replacement for him will be no easy task.
