PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia police said Wednesday they have yet to find any videotape evidence of an alleged hit-and-run accident involving 76ers guard Kelly Oubre, and coach Nick Nurse is standing by his player.
In an email to The Associated Press, Officer Miguel Torres said there was no update and an investigation is ongoing into the report that the 27-year-old Oubre was struck by a car while crossing a street Saturday night in downtown Philadelphia, leaving the player with a broken rib, cuts and lacerations.
“No video has been recovered,” Torres said in his email.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported police department spokesman Sgt. Eric Gripp said Wednesday that surveillance footage recovered so far showed “no evidence that a crash occurred at the Center City intersection where Oubre reported being hit on Saturday night.”
Asked about the report and the validity of Oubre’s story before Wednesday night’s game against the Boston Celtics, Nurse said that Oubre was at the team’s practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, both Tuesday and Wednesday and he backed his player.
“I don’t think it’s very fair to him to say that he made up some story,” Nurse said. “I just don’t. I’m going to believe him at his word. He’s one of our players and we’re going to stand behind him. And so am I.”
When asked why he believed Oubre’s story, Nurse said, “I don’t have any reason not to believe him.”
A team spokesman said that Oubre “continues to progress from his injuries and has resumed light physical activity with hopes of returning to play in the coming weeks.”
The spokesman said the team and police have been in touch regarding the status of the investigation and details and added that the organization appreciated the efforts of police for investigating the situation and the support Oubre has received from the Philadelphia community.
Oubre has not attended any of the team’s three games since the incident took place.
Oubre signed with the Sixers on Sept. 26 and had just moved into the neighborhood where the incident allegedly took place.
He is scheduled to be re-examined at the end of the week for injuries related to the incident before a possible return-to-play timeline is set.