Of the 13 new players that Mark Pope and Co. recruited this offseason, only five have Power 5 experience. One of those is Otega Oweh, a junior transfer from the Oklahoma Sooners.

What should we expect from the third-year standout in Lexington? We’re so glad you asked!

• Position: Guard
• Height: 6-4
• Weight: 215 lbs.
• Class: Junior
• Hometown: Newark, New Jersey
• High School: Blair Academy
• Previous School: Oklahoma
• Recruiting Ranking: 4-star recruit ranked No. 70 overall and No. 5 among shooting guards in the Class of 2022 via 247 Sports Composite. 4-star transfer, ranked No. 31 overall.

Background

Oweh’s parents were born in and immigrated from Nigeria. While Oweh was born in New Jersey, his parents instilled a hard work ethic in Otega and his three siblings at an early age.

“You come here, you work hard, and you make it, and so that was what we projected,” his mother Tania told ESPN in 2021. “That’s what we believed would be the pathway for us, and ultimately, our kids.”

Along with a great work ethic, good genetics always help. His two older brothers found athletic success at Penn State. The eldest, Odafe was a star linebacker for the Nittany Lions and now plays for the Baltimore Ravens after being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2021. The middle and other brother Kaylen was a basketball walk-on for Penn State.

Originally playing football, like his older brother, Otega fell in love with basketball going into high school. “I played football until middle school, and then I switched to basketball,” Otega said. “I just loved it more. I wasn’t really interested in football as much.”

Despite playing a different sport, he was still inspired by his older brother Odafe.

“He just really pushed me,” Otega said. “He’s five years older than me so he’s at where I was trying to get to, so just at each level I was going to he just made sure I worked hard and just challenged me.”

Through his high school career, Otega played his way into a 4-star ranking, capped off by helping Team Final win the Peach Jam Championship and winning Break Out Player of the Tournament. He committed to Oklahoma as its highest-ranked recruit in the 2022 class.

Oweh did not start the first 19 games of his college career, averaging just nine minutes and just over three points per game. However, to close out the season, he started nine straight games and averaged nearly nine points per game.

That progression continued as a sophomore as he became one of the most improved players in the Big 12, averaging double-figures (11.4 ppg) for the first time in his career. One reason for that was an improved outside shot, increasing his 3-point percentage from 25 percent to 37.7 percent. He also chipped in 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest.

Taking notice of his progression, elite athleticism, and high ceiling, Mark Pope recruited Oweh to Lexington. But why did he choose Kentucky?

“It was an easy decision,” Oweh said.

“The history is so rich. The plan that Coach Pope has for the program, I was intrigued with it. At the end of the day, I want to be a pro, and this is one of the best places to do it. It was a no-brainer,” Oweh said this summer.

“It’s Kentucky. It’s the biggest stage in college basketball. It’s hard to turn that down.”

With two years of eligibility remaining, Otega will look to make his dreams a reality as a Wildcat. In the process, he will help build a new era of Kentucky basketball.

Projected Role

After a promising preseason, it’s clear that Oweh could be a big piece to this team as a strong two-way player. On Tuesday vs. Minnesota State, he finished with 15 points on 7/8 shooting, three rebounds, three steals, and six assists in just 19:33 of game action.

Against Kentucky Wesleyan, he went for 18 points on 7/9 shooting, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal. One could argue he was Kentucky’s best player in the exhibition season, reinforcing the belief that he’ll be a major impact starter this season who logs 30+ minutes a game and could be the Cats’ second-leading scorer behind Jaxson Robinson.

Oweh could be in position to test the NBA Draft waters when the season ends, but if he returns for 2024-25, he could have a massive senior season where he becomes an All-SEC-caliber player.

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