After spending two years in Lexington, Otega Oweh has officially secured his place in the NBA. On the second day of the 2026 NBA Draft, he was chosen 41st overall in the second round. He’s set to join fellow former Kentucky Wildcats Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace on one of the league’s premier title contenders.
Leading up to the draft, most mock boards had Oweh slotted either late in the second round or completely undrafted, so this particular outcome doesn’t come as much of a shock.
Originally a 4-star high school recruit who committed to Oklahoma before transferring to Kentucky, Oweh was also a 4-star transfer who pledged to Mark Pope shortly after Pope took over. Across back-to-back seasons, Oweh established himself as Kentucky’s top performer, improving his output each year he played in college.
As a sophomore, he put up 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, but his junior year brought a major leap. In his debut season in Lexington, “Otegatron” delivered 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per night, connecting on 49.2% of his field goals. His rise to prominence unfolded gradually—he went from being Kentucky’s steadiest contributor to its outright best player in a relatively short span.
Oweh tested the NBA waters but ultimately chose to return for his senior season. That decision was complicated by a turf toe injury during the offseason, which cost him 10 weeks of training and slowed his start. Once he found his rhythm, though, he became nearly impossible to contain in SEC play and beyond.
In his final college campaign, Oweh averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, while knocking down 33.3% of his threes (he shot 35.5% as a junior and 34.7% over his collegiate career). His overall efficiency dipped a bit, but he remained clearly Kentucky’s best player and its most—and perhaps only—dependable option.
On a Wildcats team that largely fell short of expectations, Oweh consistently delivered. He drew his share of criticism along the way, but it’s hard to ask for more from the veteran guard. He poured everything into both of his seasons at Kentucky, and now that chapter has officially ended.
His memorable half-court heave to force a tie against Santa Clara in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is the kind of moment that will echo in Rupp Arena for years. Big Blue Nation will hold onto that memory fondly, and now Oweh gets the chance to share the court with two former Wildcats while chasing an NBA championship.
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