Kelly Oubre Jr. on First Pacers FanJam Experience: 'It Felt Great'

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points Sunday in his first game in front of Indiana Pacers fans.

It came in a 12-minute FanJam scrimmage at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Oubre's Blue team, mostly second-unit players, beat the starters on the White team 39-28. The starters made one of their 11 attempts from beyond the arc, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files reported, and Ivica Zubac led White with 12 points.

Oubre agreed to a two-year deal with Indiana on July 1, a move first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania. Spotrac lists the contract at $16.5 million, fully guaranteed. The Pacers signed him with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which hard-capped them at the first apron.

Training camp opened Sept. 29. Sunday was the first time Oubre wore a Pacers jersey for anything resembling a game, even one quarter against his own teammates.

"It felt great," Oubre said. "Just playing on the game floor, that's the first step, right? You get your juices going, you kind of can use your imagination a little bit. But to wear the jerseys, I think it just elevated the one quarter that we did scrimmage. But we've been playing against each other all week, and playing [in front of] the fans is a whole different story."

Oubre has played 11 NBA seasons. The Atlanta Hawks drafted him 15th overall out of Kansas in 2015 and traded him to the Washington Wizards. He later played for the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers.

Last season in Philadelphia, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He shot 46.7% from the field. His 36.0% mark from 3-point range was a career best.

He carries career averages of 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle singled him out after practice Wednesday. Carlisle said Oubre had a large impact at both ends, shot well, and played like an edgy competitor, according to Circle City Spin.

Jay Huff, who has been running with Oubre in the second group, said Friday that Oubre had been playing great, according to Pacers On SI.

Confidence was part of the plan for Oubre on Sunday.

"Just moving," Oubre explained. "Obviously, playing with confidence, kind of playing within the flow of the game. But it was 12 minutes, so I was just trying to challenge myself to see if this was a real game, can I start off hot? Can I be consistent throughout the game and make impact and win [...]"

Oubre said none of the 17 points came from a plan to get him the ball.

"Not at all," Oubre said. "But the ball finds energy, and I had a lot of it. So I was going to find it myself, too. But Braden [Smith], all the guys, they did a good job of just playing unselfishly, and we all flowed off of each other. I just so happened to shoot the most."

Oubre told HoopsHype's Cyro Asseo that Haliburton factored into his decision to sign. The two had never played together before camp.

Haliburton missed all of last season after tearing his right Achilles in the deciding game of the 2025 NBA Finals. He was introduced with the starters Sunday.

"It was insane," Oubre said. "And all the guys would kind of be like, they would watch the reception when his name gets called, and I was like, I already know. But it was loud. I think everybody's voice was heard, and that's what we need, though. We need them to rally for all of us."

Rienk Mast, an undrafted rookie from Nebraska on an Exhibit 10 contract, finished his Rookie Show turn with the Dougie.

"It was all bad, but shout out to the guys for buying in," Oubre said. "It's all fun and games, so it was good to see."

Oubre's own rookie class did costumes. That was 2015 in Washington, where he played alongside John Wall until the Wizards traded him to Phoenix midway through his fourth season.

"No, I think [we] were doing, like, the costumes at that point," Oubre said. "I don't think I — I was with the Wizards too, so the Dougie was John Wall's whole thing, right? So I think if we did do the Dougie, I could Dougie a little bit. But it's like 10 years outdated, so I'm chilling now."

Oubre is one of three players Indiana added this offseason, along with Larry Nance Jr. and Braden Smith.

The Pacers play their first preseason game Oct. 7 against Minnesota at Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum. Tip-off is 7 p.m. ET.