Otega Oweh Crowned SEC Preseason Player of the Year by Jon Rothstein: Kentucky’s Leader Returns with a Vengeance
In a conference loaded with talent and tradition, few stories resonate more powerfully than that of redemption, growth, and unfinished business. For Kentucky guard Otega Oweh, the 2025-26 season is shaping up to be all of that and more.
CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein didn’t hesitate to make a bold prediction: Oweh will be the SEC Preseason Player of the Year. Coming off a breakout campaign in which he became Kentucky’s offensive engine and emotional heartbeat, the returning star now carries the weight of expectations for a Wildcats team with championship aspirations.
“You have to like, obviously, Otega Oweh coming back with proven college experience,” Rothstein said. “Somebody that has evolved into one of the best players in the SEC.”
🔥 From Oklahoma to Kentucky: A Star Reborn
A year ago, Oweh’s arrival in Lexington flew somewhat under the radar. A former Oklahoma Sooner, he transferred to Kentucky with two years of experience and a chip on his shoulder. What followed was a season for the books.
Oweh led the Wildcats in scoring with 16.4 points per game, while shooting 49.2% from the field and 35.5% from deep. He also averaged 4.7 rebounds and nearly 2 assists, proving himself as more than just a scorer he was a two-way force who showed up in every moment that mattered.
He scored in double figures in 33 of 36 games, including the first 26 straight, an ironman of consistency who gave Mark Pope’s squad an edge whenever he was on the floor.
But the real Oweh magic happened when the game was on the line.
Mr. Clutch: The Legend of Two Game-Winners
If you want to be the best in the SEC, you have to deliver when the lights are brightest. Oweh did that and made history in the process.
Last season, he became the first player in 21st-century college basketball to hit two game-winning shots against the same team in a single year. The victim? None other than his former squad, Oklahoma.
One of those buckets a buzzer-beater — lifted Kentucky into the SEC Tournament quarterfinals and ignited a run that carried the Wildcats to the Sweet Sixteen. In the NCAA Tournament, Oweh remained a rock, averaging 16 points per game in three postseason battles.
NBA Aspirations on Hold — For Now
After his stellar junior campaign, Oweh tested the 2025 NBA Draft waters, participating in workouts and receiving feedback from teams. But in the end, he chose to return a decision that says everything about his mentality.
He’s not just chasing a pro contract. He’s chasing greatness.
And this season, he’ll have every opportunity to take that final leap.
Coach Pope’s Praise: “He’s a Marked Man Now”
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope knows what he has in Oweh not just a stat-sheet stuffer, but a leader and example-setter for the entire locker room.
“He’s coming in as a marked man, with a ton of leadership responsibility,” Pope said. “He’s going to grow exponentially again. He’s going to help us win a ton of games, and he’s going to play great basketball.”
“To witness him grow through this next step in his evolution is a gift.”
That evolution is exactly what NBA scouts will be watching. And if Oweh continues on his current trajectory, the awards — and draft stock — will take care of themselves.
SEC Title Hopes Rest on Oweh’s Shoulders
With the SEC reloading via high-level transfers and returning talent, competition will be fierce. But if Rothstein’s prediction is any indication, Kentucky won’t just be in the mix they might have the best player in the conference.
Oweh isn’t just another returning guard. He’s a man on a mission.
He’s the face of Kentucky basketball.
He’s the standard-bearer for Mark Pope’s new era.
And he might just be the next great Wildcat to wear the crown of SEC Player of the Year.
Get ready, Big Blue Nation. The Otega Oweh show is just getting started.
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