Kelly Oubre Jr. says he’s “ready to hoop” after missing 11 games.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. wanted to beat the record — yes, a vehicle hit him as he was walking near his home and the driver fled. Yes, he suffered a traumatic injury, and no — he doesn’t care about anyone challenging his account of what happened on that Philadelphia street last month.
“This was and is a very traumatic situation for me and my family,” Oubre told reporters Monday at the 76ers’ compound in New Jersey. “Well, I wish my life wasn’t like ‘The Truman Show’ where everyone was watching and had their own opinion about my life.”
Oubre got off to a strong start in his first season with the 76ers (16.3 ppg in eight games) when he said he was hit by a vehicle while walking near his home in Center City, Philadelphia on Nov. 11. The 27-year-old was taken to hospital in stable condition and released a few hours later with a broken rib and injuries to his hip and right leg, police said at the time, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
The car, described as silver, fled the scene, Oubre told authorities.
Philadelphia police said about two weeks later that they had yet to find video evidence of a hit-and-run.
“It is very difficult for us to deal with it and for me to miss being on the field, which keeps me healthy, and a lot of people have been too disinterested and insensitive to try to worry about the video cameras,” Oubre said while declining to elaborate. “So yeah, I mean, I’m really blessed that it wasn’t worse than it is and I’m able to go back to work and smile and walk and talk and breathe. So yeah, that’s exactly what I have to say about conspiracy theorists.
“I love them too. I sit there in my downtime and look at them, but not with my life. This (expletive) serious.”
Oubre is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday in Washington.
“I have spoken with the police about this situation and they have an investigation going on,” Oubre said. “I’ve talked to who I need to talk to about it and people the way it is, and I’m not going to talk about the details of it because they’re looking into it.”
The 76ers and police had been in contact about the status of the investigation.
Oubre signed with the Sixers on Sept. 26 and had just moved into the neighborhood at the time of the injury.
Oubre said he’s “ready to hoop” and return to the 76ers (12-7) as they chase a top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Manager Nick Nurse said he would ‘probably sack him right back’ against the Magi.