Otega Oweh Declares for NBA Draft, will Keep College Eligibility
The silence was deafening. Otega Oweh broke his on Tuesday, painting a clearer picture of his basketball future.
Oweh revealed on Instagram that he will test the NBA Draft waters this offseason. Like so many others, the underclassman will go through the process and still maintain his college eligibility, leaving the door open for a possible return to Kentucky.
“To the best fans in the nation, the Big Blue Nation – Getting to play the game I love each day, knowing I have your support alongside my family and friends, has truly been a dream come true, and I am incredibly blessed,” he shared in the statement. “I’m taking the next step and have declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, while maintaining my NCAA eligibility
Oweh was Kentucky’s leading scorer in Mark Pope’s first season. The transfer from Oklahoma tallied 16.2 points per game on 49.2% shooting from the field. He scored 20+ points in 13 games, including the first-round NCAA Tournament win over Troy. Two of those 20-point games came against his former school, when he ripped out the Sooners’ hearts with game-winning shots in the final seconds.
He was excellent for Kentucky, but is not a slam-dunk NBA Draft prospect. At 6-foot-4, he’s undersized as a two-guard, and he only shot 35% from three while averaging less than one make per game. Jonathan Givony ranks Oweh as the No. 86 NBA Draft prospect. There are only 60 selections in the 2025 NBA Draft.
By declaring for the NBA Draft, he will be able to participate in the NBA Combine and go through individual workouts with NBA teams. The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is June 15 at 5 PM EST.
Matt Jones Weighs In a Return for Otega Oweh
Matt Jones has spent more than a week abroad, but he has not lived under a rock. After Lamar Wilkerson made headlines by picking Indiana over Kentucky, Uncle Matt invited Big Blue Nation to join him on a Twitter Spaces conversation. The subject of Oweh’s return was a topic he discussed.
“Otega Oweh coming back is the most important thing. I think (the Kentucky coaching staff) feels good about that. I haven’t heard any update to say they don’t,” he said. “They expected some schools to come in and offer big money, but I think they thought as long as it was close, he’d stay here.”
Later in the conversation, he added, “Unless something crazy happens, I think he’s going to be here.
