Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. finds himself in the midst of controversy after a video surfaced online depicting the aftermath of an incident where he claimed to be the victim of a hit-and-run. Oubre is now facing skepticism from local authorities, who question the accuracy of his recollection of events.
Despite suffering broken ribs, bruises, and cuts, Oubre’s account of the hit-and-run is being challenged by Philadelphia police. Officials claim to have scrutinized surveillance footage from the purported incident location and found no evidence supporting the player’s version of events. While authorities refrain from accusing Oubre of dishonesty, they suggest the possibility that he may have mistaken the location or time due to his relative unfamiliarity with the city.
The situation has prompted comparisons between Oubre and actor Jussie Smollett, known for a controversial incident in which he allegedly staged an attack on himself. Fans on social media are drawing parallels between the two cases, raising questions about the veracity of Oubre’s claims.
TMZ has obtained Ring footage capturing Oubre’s arrival at his apartment post-incident. The video portrays Oubre visibly in pain as he enters the residence with his bicycle, recounting the incident to his wife, who reacts with panic.
Here’s video Kelly Oubre Jr returning home minutes after he was hit by a car in Philly on Saturday. There’s talk about lack of surveillance vid. Sources says KO, who’s new to city, wasn’t interviewed by cops until hours after accident at hospital & he was unsure of exact location pic.twitter.com/fB1DYatkUh
— michael j. babcock (@mikejbabcock) November 16, 2023
Despite the growing skepticism, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse has publicly supported Oubre, expressing belief in the reported version of events. When questioned by a reporter, Nurse avoided delving into the controversy, stating, “I would not address that. I don’t have an answer to that other than I believe what’s been reported so far. Again, I’m going to believe Kelly at his word and all that stuff and focus on this game and handle things as they come.”