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How important is it that Kentucky keeps Otega Oweh on the 2025-26 roster?
Oweh was a second team all-SEC selection last season after transferring from Oklahoma to Kentucky. He averaged a team-high 16.2 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals while starting all 36 games. He scored in double figures in 33 games and had 13 games of 20 points or more. He also hit game-winning shots twice against Oklahoma.
He became the first Kentucky player since Walter McCarty to have a NCAA Tournament game with 20 or more points, eight or more rebounds, and five or more assists in a win over Troy in March.
Oweh has put his name into the NBA draft but has not been projected as a draft pick. He has until May 28 to remove his name from the draft and return to college like Jaxson Robinson did last season. The general consensus is that Oweh just wants feedback from NBA personnel on what he needs to do to raise his draft status for 2026.
Kentucky Radio Network analyst Jack Givens, a former UK All-American and 197 Final Four MVP, said on the Leach Report that it is “huge” to have Oweh back.
“Otega had such a great year and has become one of those guys that we really count on. So I think it’s going to be huge that Kentucky gets him back,” Givens said. “I’m pretty sure he wants to be there.”
Givens said announcements by Brandon Garrison, Trent Noah and Collin Chandler that they will return along with the expected return of Travis Perry also bodes well for Mark Pope’s second team at Kentucky.
“These guys can taste the kind of jump that some of them took this year. I just think it’s going to be huge to get some of the guys for year two,” Givens said. “I think it’s awesome to be able to just keep some faces around for a little while and build some continuity, some stuff that we just haven’t had over the last few years.”
10 Responses
Oweh needs to shoot the 3 better and hope he works on that this Summer. He also needs to look for the open man when he drives. The refs aren’t going to bail him out every time he gets fouled. Chandler and Noah need to be shot ready when open 3s come their way and take them. Both could average 10 to 12 points a game next year. They also need to work on rebounding. Garrison needs to work on shooting the 3 and off of the lower block. He also needs to rebound better. Short of someone getting hurt, Perry is not going to see many minutes next year. He is a great kid, but his defense will keep him off the floor except for mop up duty. This team could be a legit Final 4 contender if they stay healthy and Quaintance gets healthy.
Got a guard from Florida gators in Aberdeen. just announced
If we only have 2 openings remaining, it seems like we are no longer getting "pick of the litter". The Fl transfer not all that impressive but they must know something that we don’t obviously. Lately, we seem to have more misses than hits, and it seems like our targets are picked off daily. Maybe with all the parity out there we will never get to recover our Elite status. The guy up the road and the one in K-ville seem to be doing as well as us. I am glad that the Ament show finally found a home and the drama is over. Last thing we needed was another Drama Queen.
On paper we look pretty good. Got several guys that can play and guard multiple positions. We can go big, small, or in between. We also seem to have several players that can put the ball on the floor. If this team is better with the mid range game and can make layups more consistently, they should be pretty good.
A lot of how good they can be will depend on how soon Quaintance can recover and play with no after effects to his game.
We have too many guards, and with the questions concerning Quaintance’s health, I was hoping we would get another BIG. Perry’s playing time will mirror that of Horn’s. I would not be surprised to see Perry hit the portal with the signing of another guard. He deserves to play, but it won’t be here at Kentucky. If so, that would be a good trade (Aberdeen for Perry), but if so, we desperately need another BIG that can play the 4 and 5 spots..
We need Oweh to win a championship. Without Oweh we lack a all American type of guard which every team needs to win a championship. Yes we do have JQ but its going to take more than his star power to take us to the promised land. Lowe will also be really good but idk how his style will translate to the SEC where defense rules and you also have to have great scorers. Denzel Aberdeen from Florida will also be a major upgrade at guard. Anyone who plays nearly 20 minutes per game on a championship team is very crucial. I watched him play a handful of times and he’s a very athletic guard. He’s a do whatever it takes to win type of player. I still can’t believe he transferred from Florida seeing that he was probably going to be a starter next year as he was the 3rd best guard on the team and they are losing there top 2 guards. Its really a head scratcher but maybe he just wanted a change in scenery anywho I’m very happy to have him because he plays winning basketball. Oweh would still be the best player on the team next year I don’t see anyone taking his spot. What I find weird is that Perry hasn’t announced if he is staying or going. His playing time has fallen off a cliff with the guys we have coming to Kentucky this year so he might be looking for a new home his sophomore year. Who knows.?
Oweh must learn to pass the ball. 1.7 assists is pathetic for someone who touches the ball such a high % of UK possessions. A true leader shares the ball and sets up as well as finds the open man. Accurately shooting the 3 is also an essential need. As some have pointed out.
I strongly disagree with the naysayers who put Perry at the end of the bench. I’ve been watching UK players from the state of KY play far above expectations when given a sufficient number of minutes (12-15 min) instead of just a few here & there. Playing time develops and builds confidence.
Pope did a great job of quickly blending a lot of players into a TEAM 1st winning combo, but just look at the A:TO ratio of the big scorers in most of the losses. The TEAM concept was gone when SOME players hogged the ball l, so we lost.
Play a zone some. Use different zones. Press full court with the fastest 5 players.
Set screens for great shooters – Perry, Noah, Chandler.
If Perry leaves, my interest in UK BB and thrill for having Pope will all be gone. Perry did NOT get the same opportunity Travis Ford did under Pitino. Otherwise all of his great play would never have been seen. Set plays and defensive changes are needed when one of the best pure shooters in BB could be lighting up the scoreboard.
Since the 1950’s, I’ve been to games to see many great UK players. EVERY Champion has had a least one native Kentuckian who was instrumental in UK having an outstanding season, a solid post season and winning combination to win 2 games in the FF.
Perry & Noah should be playing with Oweh, Garrison & Moreno for 20 minutes together the first 7 or 8 games to fully develop their chemistry. Plenty of minutes for another 5 players to be blended together into a solid unit in order to keep fresh legs. The more the SAME players are on the court TOGETHER, the more chemistry will become a winning combination.
I don’t care much for 1 & done – it matters not if they are freshmen or 5th year “seniors”. They just don’t “get it” Carr & Williams really played hard and had some awesome games & played FOR UK every trip down the floor – at both ends. Rare finds!
Most of the transfers are average players and no sense of committed to any program. They revert to street ball too quickly, forgetting to share the ball. Mashburn was an All-American but never forgot his teammates were capable and he was a GREAT team player.
Transfers should watch some of the truly GREAT UK players who were 100% TEAM players every possession!
TEAM is the Championship THEME.
UK looked like Title contenders in the early season, beating Duke, and willing by big margins with amazing A:TO ratios game after game. Losses always were marked with a lack of sharing the ball.
It seemed like when we played great teams we shared the ball and when we played average teams everyone wanted to be the all star. I think when getting evaluated for the NBA they will tell him he needs to work on his passing ability. Which he will. If he gets better at his 3 pointer and he ups his assist he could easily be a lottery pick because he plays incredible defense and has a punishing frame. He does tend to have tunnel vision when the ball is in his hands from time to time but I think he improves in that area particularly that area. If he could average 3-4 assists per game it would make him a better scorer because when he gets the ball the opposing team throws everything athik including the kitchen sink. If he could dump it off or throw JQ or Garrison a lob we would be unstoppable. They have to play a help defense when he drives because if its one on one he will run through the defender I always want Oweh to drive in a throw that little lob to one of our big men or a quick pass to the corner 3 spot. He should be even more familiar with his team mates having played for them for a year or 2. The only thing that bothers me is when your team is very deep the chemistry is usually off. Guys want more playing time and rightfully deserve it. If the team buys into a team first mindset to get a banner we can easily win it all next year. I think when JQ gets healthy he might takeover as the best player on the team. His highlights are actually scary how much of a monster he really is and to be doing that at 17 years old is freaking crazy. When you get some time check out his highlights from last year. NBA ready. He’s like seeing some of the recruits cal got if they had stayed another year and were a Lottery pick. If he would have been 18 and not gotten hurt. He would have been a top 12 pick in the draft. That screams potential and he will be way better this year than last year. Who wins the battle between JQ and Garrison or do they start at the same time?
Do you guys ever think that Pope may have gave Owen to drive to the basket than pass it. There’s a lot of strategy that a coach gives than what you like. Never satisfied the man was mainstay how far we went this past season. You got to remember no one thought he be the man when the season started.
So reading the comments here, I am realizing most a lot of Kentucky fans are super ignorant of all things basketball… We do not need another big, Oweh’s role was to attack the rim, not create off the bounce, we do not have too many guards. We are not losing most battles we get into for recruits.
Guys… the pieces fit… Coach Pope built a TEAM. It is a super versatile roster, that is going to be less explosive on offense than last year, but will be a better rebounding, and defending team. Coach is clearly banking on scoring due to scheme, and in transition off defense.
In short, if you arent super excited for our roster next season. You basically do not know what is happening around the country. We have a top 3 roster in the sport, and more than that, we have depth, athleticism, toughness, and defense.