Kelly Oubre Jr. might be ready to make his return to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup after being sidelined with an elbow injury since March 10. While the team hasn't made an official announcement, Oubre himself seems to have let the cat out of the bag. According to Kyle Neubeck on X (formerly Twitter), Oubre declared, “I'm playing basketball tomorrow,” which sounds pretty definitive.
Oubre has been a key contributor for the Sixers this season, putting up 14.7 points per game over 32.4 minutes. The team is currently in a tight race with the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks, trying to climb out of the seventh spot and dodge a potential play-in series. Since Oubre's absence, the Sixers have gone 4-3, highlighting his importance to the squad.
This isn't the first hint from Oubre about his impending return. Earlier this week, he teased fans with an Instagram story suggesting he'd be back “soon.”
Oubre's season has been a bit of a rollercoaster, having already missed time due to a left knee injury sustained in an NBA Cup game against the Detroit Pistons back in November. That hyperextension kept him off the court for nearly two months. He made his comeback on January 7th, and the Sixers quickly found their rhythm, winning three of the next four games with him back in action.
Now, as they prepare to face the Charlotte Hornets, the Sixers are hoping Oubre can once again provide that spark and help them make a strong push in the standings.