Otega Oweh (Vicky Graff Photo)
Before Kentucky played Eastern Illinois on Friday night, UK coach Mark Pope said on the UK Radio Network pregame show that he had pulled Otega Oweh aside for a private conversation.
Oweh was UK’s leading scorer last season and probably the biggest surprise on the team. This season he’s off to a so-so start and had a subpar game in the Louisville loss with five missed 3-pointers and five turnovers.
Pope really didn’t want to share what he said to Oweh other than to point out again that there is a “learning curve” for every player on the team.
“I will be really bluntly honest with you guys. I wish I was further ahead right now. I wish that I was further ahead with this group. Maybe it’s been complicated that, you know, I’m trying to figure out why I’m not further ahead with this group in terms of just this group’s identity,” Pope said.
“There’s a lot of contributing factors, for sure. What I expect from the guys is that they embrace who they are, like they are here for a reason. They have very, very special unique quantifiable skill sets. And I want them to use them, I want them to celebrate them, I want them to be proud of them, I want them to love their game.”
Many feel Oweh might be trying to impress NBA scouts by showing he can do things he did not do well last year but that has taken away from his overall play and intensity — or at least it seems that way.
“Sometimes I see a way another coach approaches something or an anecdote they share or a style of coaching or an action that they run or philosophy of how they coach and you look around you and are like, ‘I would like to do that, I would like to do this, I would like to do the other. ‘It’s always important to grow, but you never want to lose yourself when you grow. You want to grow yourself,” the Kentucky coach said.
“The anecdote I shared with the guys is like if (former NFL quarterback) Tom Brady was really upset that Michael Vick, people thought he was a better running quarterback. Tom Brady said, ‘You know what, I’m just going to run every time so I can prove that I am a great running quarterback.’ Nobody wants to see that, right?
“Us understanding where we bring our special sauce to the team is really, really important. Us growing as individuals is really important. But us knowing who we are and knowing what makes us special is really important.”
6 Responses
Some folks thought Cal talked in riddles. I think Pope has him beat.
Pope's are at least a full thought. Cal was a sentence fragment savant. Because I sure couldn't understand him i know that.
Ya..upon second read that was major gobbly goo. My translation.. some kids aren't interested or invested in totality.. But they are to the bank account they have.
Great Analysis!
How can a kid not be thinking about the NBA and money when they are being paid more than most NFL rookie salaries? Oweh has been labeled the SEC Player of the Year before the season started; he is trying to play up to that expectation. He needs to let the game come to him and that will get him where he wants to be. His brand of hero ball won't work against Michigan State.
Duh, NBA rookie salaries…early onset dementia.