Otega Oweh’s Return Fueled by Unfinished Business: “We Had to Finish the Job at Kentucky”
Otega Oweh knew long before the world did: he wasn’t done in Lexington just yet.
The explosive guard, fresh off a strong junior season and an eye-opening pre-draft process, made his decision to return to Kentucky days before the deadline and even before his coach knew. But when the time came to tell Mark Pope, the moment was as unforgettable as it was emotional.
“I was on a plane,” Pope recalled with a grin. “Otega called and said, ‘Coach, let’s do this. I’m coming back.’ I thought the pilot was going to throw me out the window for talking on the phone mid-flight. But I didn’t care. Tears down my face.”
The coach’s emotional reaction captured what the return of Oweh means to Kentucky basketball. He’s not just a talented player he’s the motor, the voice, and the heartbeat of a team with championship aspirations. For Oweh, it wasn’t a matter of being good enough to go pro. He absolutely was.
“I could’ve gone,” Oweh admitted. “But I had one more year of eligibility, and I wanted to try and do the things that maybe I didn’t get to complete last year which was win a national championship.”
That hunger to chase greatness outweighed the lure of the NBA. Sure, the Combine experience in Chicago was valuable. He met with teams, heard the praise and the critiques and soaked up every ounce of knowledge he could. The feedback? Mostly strong.
“My intensity, my motor, my ability to just rack up points throughout the game, regardless of what it is… And then obviously, my defense,” he said. “Everyone said they liked my game and what I could bring to the table.”
Still, Oweh understood there were things he could sharpen especially if he wanted to hit the league running, not crawling.
“Conditioning, stamina at the next level, you have to be in really good shape,” he said. “And then mentality-wise, just keeping that same intensity every single day. That was the biggest thing I saw.”
In the final days before the draft withdrawal deadline, Oweh had already made peace with his choice. He was coming back. He was just waiting for the right moment to tell his coach and make it official.
“It was great just finally getting it off my chest,” Oweh said. “Just having that moment with Coach Pope, talking with him, and seeing the genuine excitement.”
Pope wasn’t the only one fired up. Kentucky fans immediately celebrated the return of their star guard, who brings back not just production, but leadership, toughness, and postseason fire. Oweh is expected to be a focal point for the Wildcats in 2025–26, pairing with top freshman Jaland Lowe in the backcourt and leading a revamped Kentucky roster ranked No. 5 in the nation entering the season.
After averaging 13.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals last season and drawing praise as one of the top two-way guards in the SEC Oweh returns with a sharper edge and an even bigger goal.
“If I go back and we win the whole thing,” he said, “everyone wins.”
From NBA hopeful to unfinished business bearer, Oweh’s return signals something powerful brewing in Lexington. He came close last year. Now, he’s coming back for everything.
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