76ers’ Oubre has broken rib after being hit by car

The Philadelphia 76ers announced Sunday afternoon that forward Kelly Oubre Jr. suffered a fractured rib when he was hit by a motor vehicle Saturday night.

Oubre is expected to return to the team’s practice facility as an observer Tuesday before being reexamined to determine a timeline for his return, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. The injury is not considered season ending. The Sixers said in a statement Oubre would be reevaluated in a week.

“He’s back home and he’s doing OK,” Nurse said before Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers. “It’s a pretty traumatic incident [but] he is home and resting fairly comfortably. That’s where we are right now.”

Oubre, 27, was walking near his home in Center City at about 7:20 p.m. Saturday and heading west when a vehicle travelling in the same direction “at a high rate of speed” tried to turn south onto the street he was crossing, police said Sunday. The vehicle hit him “in the upper chest area with the driver-side mirror,” according to police.

The car, described as silver in color, kept going south and fled the scene. Fire department medics responded and took Oubre to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital “in stable condition with a broken rib and injuries to his hip and right leg,” police said, adding that an investigation is ongoing.

Oubre, in his ninth NBA season, signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia this offseason after averaging over 20 points per game for the Charlotte Hornets last season. Oubre is averaging 16.3 points per game and shooting 50% from the field this season for the 76ers and moved into the starting lineup after forward P.J. Tucker was sent to the LA Clippers as part of the James Harden trade on Oct. 30.

Oubre has earned wide praise for his two-way play this season, helping the 76ers win seven straight games to leap to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

“It’s too bad that he’s been on an upward trend and heading towards a good season and stuff,” Nurse said. “That’s kind of a bummer for me for it to happen to him — a guy who needed a break, was getting one and he did everything he could to give himself a break. Then to have that happen … it puts it in perspective as well.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Source: www.espn.com