Otega Oweh's time at Kentucky is over, but his basketball career is only just beginning

Otega Oweh‘s two-season career at Kentucky will live in the history books for decades to come. But now it’s his time to carve out a new basketball path as a professional.

Oweh played his final game for the Wildcats on Sunday, a crushing 19-point loss to two-seeded Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He went out doing what he’s done all season, and really throughout his time in Lexington, finishing with 18 points (8-15 FG), eight rebounds, and two steals in 36 minutes against the Cyclones. The 6-foot-5 senior guard appeared in 72 total games for UK, scoring 1,255 points, the most by any Wildcat during their first two seasons with the program.

“I appreciate BBN and everybody, just for bringing me in. This is home forever now,” Oweh told Goose Givens after Sunday’s loss. “Obviously this season didn’t end the way I wanted to. The past two seasons, it’s just been amazing, something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I just wish it could have ended a little sweeter.”

Throughout his two seasons, Oweh logged single-digits in scoring only four times. He hit the 20-point mark in 32 games as a ‘Cat, highlighted by his career-high 35-point outing on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, a performance that will be replayed over and over again every time March hits. His half-court buzzer-beater to send Kentucky into overtime against Santa Clara was an all-time college basketball moment.

THIS
IS
MARCH pic.twitter.com/OcAKNgerqm

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 20, 2026

Whenever head coach Mark Pope needed someone to step up to the challenge, especially this season, Oweh is who he went to. Pope’s first two seasons at UK will forever be attached to Oweh’s greatness. From multiple game-winners last season against his old school, Oklahoma, to regularly pouring in 20 points during SEC play this season, Oweh blossomed into a real college basketball star. He was named All-SEC Second Team in both seasons at Kentucky.

Oweh was a bit of an afterthought when he first arrived on campus in the summer of 2024. Pope headlined this debut roster with veterans from smaller schools. But it was Oweh who quickly turned heads in practice, which immediately showed up once the season began, when he ripped Duke’s Cooper Flagg in crunch time for a massive Kentucky win. It took him a few weeks to find his footing this season after suffering a turf toe injury during the summer, but once he did, his true potential was apparent.

“You think about a guy that’s consistently productive,” Pope told Tom Leach on the postgame radio show. “(Oweh has) put himself in really rarefied, rarefied air in terms of two-year guys in Kentucky, and he’s put himself in fabled, magical moments in the NCAA Tournament and the SEC tournament.

“And he’s also grown as a leader and grown as a man. And he’s always been so eloquent and well spoken and considerate of his teammates, but he’s really grown to have a greater understanding of the impact that he can have and how people see him and how they follow him. It’s been really rewarding to watch him grow.”

Malachi Moreno's first true memory of playing with Otega Oweh is hilarious. Oweh is the definition of a competitor. #BBN #Kentucky #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/7nIXMuVX62

— Dusty Baker (@DustyBakerTV) March 21, 2026

But Oweh’s time at Kentucky is only a chapter in what is likely to be a long book on his basketball career. He turned down a chance to go to the NBA last offseason in favor of running it back for a senior year. But now, he’ll look to make his dream a reality. The NBA Draft process begins soon.

“I wish it was a little later for me to have to start thinking and getting ready for that stuff, but I’m definitely excited,” Oweh said. “Definitely ready for the process of just going through the steps to get to the next part of my career. I’m excited to do anything that’s going to put me in a better position to get drafted.”

Oweh will have some work to do in the pre-draft process, though. He’s not currently considered a lock to hear his name called on draft night. He’ll need to impress scouts and front office members in the coming months. But even if he’s not drafted, his time in the NBA will come eventually. A long basketball career, whether that’s in the United States or elsewhere, is inevitable for someone as talented as him.

He’s also improved his game every season he’s been in college. That development will continue after Kentucky. Oweh’s 2025-26 season saw him average career-highs in points (18.6), rebounds (4.8), assists (2.7), and steals (1.8). He shouldered a heavier workload compared to last season without sacrificing too much of his efficiency. With the right fit, his game can translate at the next level.

And if I can editorialize for a second, I’m excited to see what Oweh does next. His game isn’t perfect, but it sure is entertaining. His athleticism and strength are impressive to watch in real time. He can make something out of nothing. He’s a joy to talk with and has a fun personality. Oweh didn’t see any of the postseason success that usually comes with being known as a program legend, but his on-court production should have him in that conversation anyway.

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