Latest news with #OtegaOweh
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kentucky Star Embraces NIL Era, Returns for Senior Season
Kentucky Star Embraces NIL Era, Returns for Senior Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Kentucky guard Otega Oweh has announced his return for his senior season after exploring the NBA Draft process. Following a breakout junior campaign in which he led the Wildcats in scoring (16.2 PPG), rebounds (4.7), assists (1.7), and steals (1.6), Advertisement Oweh is projected to be one of the top guards in the nation. A first-team All-SEC honoree, Oweh is expected to play a key leadership role under second-year head coach Mark Pope as Kentucky looks to build on last season's Sweet 16 run. During summer workouts, Oweh addressed the recent House settlement and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) developments, expressing a straightforward perspective: 'They're paying us…that's good for me.' Feb 22, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) drives the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Mouhamed Dioubate (10) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images© Will McLelland-Imagn Images With a current NIL valuation of $385K, Oweh appears well-positioned in the new era of college athletics. He dismissed concerns about NIL impacting team chemistry, noting that most current players, including himself, entered college after NIL rules changed. Advertisement "That's what I'm used to, really. I'm a senior now, so the guys after me it's going to be the same with them,' stated Oweh. 'It hasn't really changed anything for me." Oweh began his collegiate career at Oklahoma, playing in 60 games before transferring to Kentucky, where he has thrived. As he gears up for a highly anticipated senior season, Oweh will be central to Kentucky's push for a deeper NCAA Tournament run in 2026. Related: The 5 Best Ways Student-Athletes Can Navigate the New College Landscape Related: Female College Athletes File Title IX Appeal Over NCAA $2.8B Settlement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kentucky basketball's Otega Oweh makes final NBA Draft decision
The post Kentucky basketball's Otega Oweh makes final NBA Draft decision appeared first on ClutchPoints. Kentucky basketball just got some good news about one of its key players, as they'll be returning to the team after withdrawing from the NBA Draft, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony. Advertisement 'NEWS: Kentucky's Otega Oweh has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to the Wildcats for his senior season, agent Wilmer Jackson of Spencer Sports told ESPN. Massive news for Mark Pope to return his team's leading scorer from last season,' Givony wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Oweh posted on Instagram announcing that he would be returning for Kentucky. 'This year exceeded all my expectations,' Oweh said in the caption. 'Through all the highs and the lows, I found a family in Kentucky forever. So let's run it back: I'm staying home.' In his first season with Kentucky, Oweh averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 35.5 percent from the perimeter. After the regular season, he was named a Second-Team All-SEC selection. Advertisement In their Round of 64 win over Troy, Oweh finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals. With that statline, he became the first Kentucky player since Walter McCarty in 1996 to register 20+ points, 8+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in an NCAA Tournament game. Oweh had a season where he had 13 games of 20+ points, which also included a career-high 28 points and a game-winner against Oklahoma. With him coming back next season, Oweh can establish himself as a first-round pick going into the 2026 NBA Draft. He had a nice showing at the NBA Draft Combine, and hopefully, he was able to take some things away from that experience to bring back to his game in college. It will be interesting to see what Kentucky looks like next season, and Oweh will be a big part of how successful they can be moving forward in the program.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kentucky's Otega Oweh shrugs off new House settlement ruling
The post Kentucky's Otega Oweh shrugs off new House settlement ruling appeared first on ClutchPoints. In late May, Kentucky basketball standout Otega Oweh decided to forgo the NBA draft and return for his final season, much to the delight of coach Marc Pope, who cried when he got the news. Advertisement Not only is Oweh returning to Lexington, but he is also getting paid for it. Oweh, much like the NCAA, is coming to terms with the landmark House ruling allowing universities to directly pay college athletes for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Among the particulars of the ruling are colleges sharing revenue with athletes, providing back pay to former athletes, eliminating scholarship limits, and establishing NIL oversight. When asked about it, Oweh couldn't care less, per Daniel Hager of All that matters to him is that he is getting paid to play college basketball. 'They're paying us,' Oweh responded with a laugh. 'That's it. That's a great thing for sure, but I don't really be keeping up with the settlement stuff like that. As long as we're getting paid, that's good for me. Anything extra, that's cool.' Advertisement In all, Oweh said that NIL hasn't drastically changed anything in the locker room. Oweh is coming off a season in which he averaged 16.2 points per game. Kentucky finished with a record of 24-12, including a 10-8 conference record. They made it to the Sweet 16 before losing 78-65 to Tennessee. As for Oweh, he has a projected NIL value of $385,000. As a result, this allowed him to put a hold on the NBA. Otega Oweh's NIL deals with Kentucky Although there are no specific details of NIL deals, the concept played a significant role in Oweh's stay in Kentucky. Recently, he rejected a $25 million NIL deal to play for the University of Louisville. To maximize his potential, Oweh formally established an Opendorse profile, an online platform that enables athletes to negotiate NIL and sponsorship deals. Advertisement Oweh is a product of an era in which there is a greater incentive for players to stay in college for all four years due to NIL. Related: Former Morehouse College coach joins in-conference rival Related: Mo Williams, Jackson State offer scholarship to son of NBA standout
USA Today
08-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
An early look at the jersey numbers for Kentucky basketball
An early look at the jersey numbers for Kentucky basketball Mark Pope spent this offseason putting together a roster that many consider one of the country's best. They upgraded the defense, and brought in more high-level talents, adding them to a solid Freshman class, and a great group of returning players, including Otega Oweh, who removed his name from the NBA draft. The season is still a ways away, but there is plenty of excitement around the program. Pope took a squad that was cobbled together quickly to the Sweet 16 last season, so expectations are high. While fans wait for the season to get here, one of the fun parts of the summer is finding out the jersey numbers the players will wear. Kentucky hasn't released an official list yet, but there have been clues or reveals to many of them already. Here's a look at each player on the roster, and their expected number. These aren't official, and could be wrong, so take them with a grain of salt for now. Returning Players Otega Oweh Number- 00 There's no reason for Oweh to change his iconic number from last season. Fans are excited to see number 00 back on the court for his Senior season. Collin Chandler Number - 5 Chandler got better as the season wore on last year, and hit some big shots late in the season. He should be even better in year two. Trent Noah Number - 9 Noah is one of the home-grown talents on the team, and returns for his Sophomore season. His hustle and knack for making shots made him a fan favorite last year. Brandon Garrison Number - 10 The coaching staff is expecting big things from Garrison this season. He'll be one of the leaders on the team, and will get a chance to shine. The Freshmen Jasper Johnson Number - 2 If the number you've been wearing is available, you wear it. That's what Johnson, the talented guard recruit has done with the number two. Andrija Jelavic Number - 4 This is more of a prediction than fact, but Jelavic wears number four with his overseas team, and it's free, so it makes sense. Braydon Hawthorne Number - 22 Hawthorne was the last addition to the Kentucky roster, and a big recruiting win for Pope. Like Jasper Johnson, he wore #2 previously, so switching to 22 makes sense. Malachi Moreno Number - 24 Moreno will also stick with his high school number as a Wildcat. He is a multi-talented big man with loads of potential in Pope's offensive system. The Transfers Denzel Aberdeen Number - 1 It looks like Aberdeen will switch from 11 to 1 with the Wildcats. He was a big addition for Kentucky, and brings a multi-faceted skillset. Kam Williams Number - 3 This isn't official yet, but Williams wore number 3 at Tulane, and it's an open number, so it's likely that he'll keep it. He was Kentucky's first transfer commitment, and is a big-time shooter. Jaland Lowe Number - 15 Like Williams, keeping the number he's been wearing is likely for Lowe. He'll almost certainly be the starting point guard for the Wildcats, and looks to benefit from a more talented supporting cast. Jayden Quaintance Number - 21 Quaintance was number 21 at Arizona State, and will likely be number 21 at Kentucky. He is a potential superstar, and was a huge win for Pope and his staff. Mouhamed Dioubate Number - 23 This one is perhaps the most uncertain, but it has been reported that he'll take number 23. He wore number 10 at Alabama, but Garrison has that. Reece Potter Number - 33 Potter has worn numbers in the 30s in high school and at Miami (OH), so it's logical that he'll stay in that range. Number 33 is a great number if that's what he goes with.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
BR Mock Draft: Warriors land Serbian big man in second round of latest NBA mock draft
BR Mock Draft: Warriors land Serbian big man in second round of latest NBA mock draft Wednesday marked the final day for early entrants to withdrawal from the NBA draft and return to the college level. With players like Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford, Kentucky's Otega Oweh, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, Arkansas' Karter Knox and Alabama's Labaron Philon all officially returning to college, the field for the NBA draft is officially set. With the 2025 draft class official, different mock drafts have been released with predictions for what Steve Kerr, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Golden State Warriors what will do in June's draft. While the Warriors don't have a first-round pick, they will be on the clock in the second round with the No. 41 overall pick. In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, the Warriors landed an international big man in the second round. With the No. 41 overall pick, Wasserman inked Serbian big man Bogoljub Markovic to the Warriors in the second round. The 19-year-old, 6-foot-11 Serbian played the last three seasons for Mega in the Adriatic Basketball League. In 30 games, Markovic averaged 13.7 points on 53.8% shooting from the field and 37% from beyond the arc to go along with 6.8 boards and 2.7 assists per game. Bogoljub was awarded the ABA League's top prospect award for the 2025 season. Current and former NBA players like Nikpla Jovic, Goga Bitadze, Dario Saric and two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic have won the same award in the past. The NBA draft is set to begin on June 25 with the first round at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
