Kelly Oubre Jr. is trying to return at just the right time for the Pacers, and he made that clear after Friday’s practice in Mexico City.
Indiana’s wing, who has missed the last two games with a left calf contusion, said he would play Saturday against the Denver Nuggets when asked at Arena CDMX. The Pacers still have him listed as questionable, but Oubre’s response was a simple “yes sir.”
The injury has kept him out since he was initially expected to come off the bench Monday against the Atlanta Hawks, only to be scratched shortly before tip-off. Indiana first called it a bruised left knee before updating the report to a calf contusion for Wednesday’s game in Memphis, where he also sat out.
Oubre joined the Pacers in July on a two-year deal worth nearly $17 million after three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds for Philadelphia in 2025-26, and through seven games in Indiana he’s putting up 9.4 points per night.
This is the sixth NBA stop for Oubre, who has also played for the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, and 76ers. He’s in his 12th season overall, and he said the Mexico City trip matters because he’s still getting settled with a new group.
“For me as the new guy, I think it’s the most important thing ever,” Oubre said. “But it’s just something that gets us out of our element, gets us out of our comfort zone, so we can only lean on each other, right?
We’re the only people that we know. But at the end of the day, man, it’s just something for us to kind of grow closer.”
“We really grow closer on the basketball court, so to be able to come to another country and to play basketball, it’s [a win-win],” Oubre continued.
Indiana’s backcourt situation only adds to the challenge. Tyrese Haliburton stayed in Indianapolis while rehabbing a left hamstring strain, and T.J.
McConnell traveled with the team but has not played in any of the first nine games because of a right hamstring strain. McConnell is questionable for Saturday, which would be his first chance to play this season.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Oubre explained. “They’re two monumental pieces to this team.
But at the end of the day, man, we’ve been preaching next man up. We have to hold it down for our brothers until they come back.
And just simple as that. We have to go out there and play even harder to kind of make up for their absences.
So it’s going to be fun.”
That has already meant more responsibility for Braden Smith, who has started the last two games at point guard. The rookie from Purdue made his first NBA start Monday, when Indiana had six players in uniform, and finished with 19 points and 10 assists in 42 minutes. He followed that with 10 points and five assists in Wednesday’s 107-103 win at Memphis.
Indiana acquired Smith’s draft rights, along with the 38th pick, from the Chicago Bulls in June. He is on a two-way contract.
For Oubre, Saturday’s game would also bring back a familiar setting. He previously played at Arena CDMX as a member of the Phoenix Suns, when they lost 121-119 in overtime to the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 14, 2019.
“This is actually my second time playing in these Mexico City games,” Oubre said. “I played with the Suns probably like four or five years ago.
It was electric. It was fun.
I didn’t prepare for the altitude, so I just jumped straight into it and had to quickly realize that I need some water.”
“But at the end of the day, it’s amazing and it’s fun,” Oubre added. “And it’s really open out here. Obviously, you can see the court, but you can look around and just see all the fans cheering, so it’s going to be fun.”
After practice, Oubre also joined Obi Toppin, Andrew Nembhard, and assistant coach Isaac Yacob at an NBA Cares clinic for local youth players.
“It’s big, man,” Oubre said. “Children are the next generation.
That’s the ones who we need to inspire so that they can be in our shoes one day and keep this thing going. And I’m about to do an NBA Cares event after this.
And I think just giving back and touching them, showing that we’re actually real people, we’re not just some mythical beings, I think that’s everything.”
“Because if anybody’s watching us that’s younger, you can be in this position, too,” Oubre continued. “You just got to work hard.
You got to pretty much block out all the doubts and believe in yourself more than anybody else. So I think it’s very important for the kids to be inspired throughout this weekend and see NBA players and believe that they can be here one day.”
The Pacers arrived in Mexico City on Thursday afternoon and had free time Friday to take in the city after its Día de Muertos celebrations. Oubre said he made the most of it with food.
“I had some quesadillas last night, probably the best quesadillas I had in my life,” Oubre said. “I don’t know how, but they were just baked to perfection, however they made them.
But food is amazing. My wife is Puerto Rican, so kind of not a rookie when it comes to the sazón, the seasonings and all of that.
So I’m a big fan of the culture, a big fan of the architecture and everything that you guys do.”
Before he wrapped up, Oubre sent a message to fans in Spanish: “Vamos los Pacers. Sí se puede.”
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