Otega Oweh Reveals the Truth Behind His Haircut and Return to Kentucky

Otega Oweh Reveals the Truth Behind His Haircut and Return to Kentucky: “It’s a New Era, Man”

The haircut sparked whispers. The video ignited rumors. But now, Otega Oweh is setting the record straight and it turns out, the story behind his return to Kentucky is as genuine as it gets.

After keeping fans on edge for weeks during the NBA Draft process, Oweh officially announced on May 28 that he would return to Lexington for his final college season, just hours before the withdrawal deadline. The moment was punctuated by a slick announcement video, captioned “I’m Back Better Now,” featuring Oweh with his familiar long dreadlocks reflecting on his journey with the Wildcats.

It was a video that left fans asking: Had he already made up his mind all along? Was there a goodbye version? Was the haircut part of the plan?

On Tuesday, the All-SEC guard cleared the air.

The Video Was a “Just in Case” Move

According to Oweh, the video wasn’t proof of a hidden decision made weeks earlier. It was a backup plan filmed at the suggestion of Kentucky’s former video coordinator, shortly after Oweh began his pre-draft training.

“I want to say I came back from vacation, and like two days after, I started my pre-draft training,” Oweh told KSR. “Our video guy, I don’t think he’s here anymore, so he wanted to just do one last little piece, just in case. Now I’m back, so I needed that video, really.”

It was a precaution  nothing more. And no, he didn’t film a goodbye video.

“I did not film a goodbye video,” Oweh said, laughing. “That was a just-in-case type of thing.”

The Haircut? A Fresh Look for a New Chapter

Of course, the buzz really took off when Oweh chopped off his signature dreads right as the draft process began. Fans wondered: was it a symbolic change, part of a rebranding for the NBA? Or a clue he was saying goodbye to college hoops?

Turns out, it was a little bit of everything  and nothing that dramatic.

“Just a hairstyle  well, actually, it was both,” Oweh said. “I wanted to just try something new, kind of a new era thing. I had dreads for like four years, and I’ll probably grow them back, but I just wanted to try something new.”

But hey, maybe there’s an on-court benefit too.

“I might jump a little higher now, be a little faster,” he joked. “We’ll see.”

Even teammate Brandon Garrison wasn’t convinced Oweh would go through with it. “After the season, he told us he was gonna cut it, but I’m like, ‘he’s just chatting,’” Garrison said. “But when he called me and I saw it, I was like, ‘ah nah.’ I didn’t believe him, but he did it.”

The hair may be gone, but Oweh’s not letting go entirely.

“I still got them, actually,” he said with a smile. “They’re never going away. Those are my babies.”

“It’s a New Era, Man”

Oweh is back  trimmed up, dialed in, and more motivated than ever. He comes into 2025–26 not just as Kentucky’s emotional leader, but as the face of a team with unfinished business and national title aspirations.

Last season, Oweh averaged double digits, locked up opposing stars, and earned a reputation as one of the fiercest two-way players in the SEC. But for him, it wasn’t enough.

“There were things I didn’t get to complete last year  like winning a national championship,” he said earlier this month. “It really felt like we had to finish business.”

With a fresh cut and fresh fire, Otega Oweh is back for one more run. And if his new look is any sign of what’s to come, the rest of college basketball should be on notice.

Banner No. 9? Maybe it starts with a pair of scissors and a little unfinished business.