Otega Oweh has a life-changing decision to make — stay in the 2025 NBA Draft or return to the Kentucky Wildcats for one more season under Mark Pope.
While the junior wing is participating in the NBA Draft Combine and taking part in private workouts, the signs point to a return to Lexington.
“It sounds like the momentum has him going back to Kentucky,” 247 Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein said at the combine in Chicago (via Cats Pause’s Chris Fisher). “He said as much publicly. He’s not only playing here, but he’s doing private workouts. He spoke with the media and said he believes he’s a first-round pick but insinuated that’s the kind of feedback he wants to hear before staying in the draft.”
In other words, Oweh is hoping for a guaranteed spot in the first round and if that doesn’t materialize, he’ll likely be back in blue and white next season.
Oweh, who transferred from Oklahoma, had a breakout year in his first season at Kentucky. Under Pope’s system, his offensive production surged, and he became one of the Wildcats’ most reliable two-way players.
“I’m right there with you. I would expect him to be back at Kentucky,” 247 Sports Isaac Trotter said. “He’s a candidate for that ‘Year 2 transfer jump’ that worked so well for Walter Clayton Jr. at Florida.”
If he does return, Oweh would instantly become one of Kentucky’s go-to veterans on a retooled roster and with a chance to raise his draft stock into clear first-round territory in 2025.