Wizards' Kelly Oubre reflects on childhood and Hurricane Katrina
Washington Wizards rookie Kelly Oubre Jr. was nine years old when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. His father had the foresight to take Oubre and leave before mass destruction landed. They drove to Houston, Texas and didn't look back.
Oubre recently reflected on that traumatic experience, his entire childhood, why he was a relative disappointment at the University of Kansas and more with Sporting News reporter Sean Deveney:
“Now that I am older, I can look back and it is like, wow, we handled it well. You don’t understand what is happening when it is happening, when you are a kid. But now that I can look back, I am always surprised that my dad kept us going and kept me positive through all that. My dad showed me how strong he was in that situation. That’s why I am where I am today. I saw what a true soldier looks like.”
Oubre's story is fascinating and not enough can ever be said about his father's courage in the face of a looming natural disaster.
But on the court, the 15th overall pick has high expectations to live up to, dating back to when he was a top-tier prospect. If he can eventually become a member of Washington's rotation, the Wizards will have one of the best young cores in the entire league.
That sort of pressure doesn't even compare to what Oubre's father went through 10 years ago, though.
(h/t: Sporting News)
