Is Otega Oweh Playing for Kentucky’s Championship Dreams — or for His Own Draft Stock?
When Otega Oweh announced he would return for his senior season, Kentucky fans celebrated. One of the SEC’s top performers from last year was coming back, chosen as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year, and expected to lead Mark Pope’s second-year squad on a deep postseason run.
Six games into the season, that excitement has cooled — and an uncomfortable question has emerged:
Is Oweh focused on helping Kentucky win, or is he focused on protecting his NBA draft prospects?
A More Passive Version of Oweh
Last season, Oweh was a relentless attacker who thrived at the rim and welcomed physical play. This year, his approach seems more cautious, and the statistics show it:
- Free throw attempts have dropped from 5.3 per game to 2.8.
- Three-point attempts have increased from 2.1 to 3.3 per game, despite shooting just 30%.
- Turnovers are up nearly one per game.
Instead of attacking the paint, he is settling for jump shots. His game has shifted toward finesse at a time when Kentucky needs more physicality.
The Preseason Quote That Now Raises Questions
Before the season began, Oweh addressed concerns about balancing team success with his pursuit of the NBA, saying:
“Everything I have to do to get to the next level won’t hurt the team. It’ll make the team better.”
At the moment, that doesn’t seem to be the case. His attempts to show more perimeter and guard-oriented skills—rather than relying on his proven strength of driving and finishing—have slowed down the offense.
Adding to the concern, Oweh has repeatedly mentioned this season that he needs to give “100 percent effort.” For a senior leader, that shouldn’t be something requiring reminders.
The Urgent Need for a Shift
Everyone wants Oweh to succeed professionally. But the surest path to the NBA isn’t by standing around the arc—it’s by dominating in the areas where he is already elite.
Kentucky doesn’t need a version of Oweh tailored for draft scouts.
They need the aggressive, physical, rim-attacking Oweh who anchored last year’s team.
If he cannot rediscover that identity soon, he risks harming not only Kentucky’s title ambitions but also his own draft stock—and potentially even his place in the starting lineup.
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