Otega Oweh has officially returned to Kentucky men’s basketball for his senior season, and with that decision begins what could be his final year in Lexington. Over the weekend, while helping with a UK summer basketball camp, Oweh stepped away from the court to interview head coach Mark Pope in a light-hearted, on-camera exchange. The two discussed the moment Oweh told Pope he was pulling out of the NBA Draft.
Pope recalled being on a plane when he got the call.
“I don’t understand why or how, but the call actually came through!” he said. His excitement, he joked, was so loud he feared getting kicked off the flight. “There were tears on my face,” he admitted, “because I knew how much it meant to you. It showed your commitment to improving and your appreciation for what you have right here, right now. That’s special.”
Speaking with reporters Tuesday for the first time since his return, Oweh echoed that sentiment. Although he was projected as a potential second-round NBA pick, he made a personal choice to stay.
“I could’ve gone,” Oweh said. “But I had one more year, and I wanted to finish what I started — like winning a national championship.”
That mission begins now. With summer classes underway and practices set to start next week, Oweh enters camp as the Wildcats’ leading returning scorer and a candidate for SEC preseason player of the year. He’s one of only a few veterans on a roster filled with new faces — six transfers and four freshmen — and that puts him in a leadership role for the first time.
“Now I’m a senior. That’s crazy,” he said, reflecting on his journey from one of the youngest guys on last year’s team to one of its emotional leaders. “I used to just lead by example. But Coach Pope taught me that’s not always enough. You have to be vocal. Not everyone can just follow what you do — sometimes, they need to hear it.”
Oweh says he’s ready to lead in his own way.
“I’m going to be vocal and intense. That’s kind of my thing. I like to talk — talk smack, even — and challenge people. It builds that competitive edge.”
He’s already noticing positive signs in his new teammates. Although practices haven’t started yet, he’s seen them putting in work every day.
“We’ve started clicking quickly,” Oweh said. “Guys are in the gym consistently, and that’s always a good sign.”
He gave shout-outs to several new and returning teammates, including Alabama transfer Mouhamed Dioubate, incoming point guard Jaland Lowe, and returnees Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, and Trent Noah. He also mentioned transfer Denzel Aberdeen and longtime walk-on Walker Horn, both entering their final college seasons.
The team, he acknowledged, is younger than last year’s group — which featured seven seniors — but it’s deep and talented.
“We’ve got multiple guys at every position. Those are the teams that succeed in March. You can mix lineups and keep opponents guessing.”
Oweh also showed off a fresh new look — cutting off his dreadlocks for the first time in years. “Just trying something new,” he said with a grin.
Last summer, Coach Pope called this stretch of workouts “Banner Camp,” with the goal of winning a national championship. The 2024–25 team fell short, exiting in the Sweet 16. But expectations for the 2025–26 Wildcats are even higher, with many national projections placing them in the top 10.
As one of the most experienced players on the roster, Oweh is determined to help lead the way — on and off the court — and end his college career the way every Wildcat dreams: with a banner hanging in Rupp Arena.
“Time moves fast,” he said. “You’ve got to enjoy it.”
