2025-26 Kentucky basketball player preview: Otega Oweh

Out of all of the players Mark Pope brought back and into the program this off-season, there is no bigger addition than returning star guard Otega Oweh for a second year in Lexington. Last season, Oweh quickly cemented himself as the best player on the roster, and getting him back was one of the most important things on Pope's mind during the off-season.

The 6-4 guard earned second team All-SEC honors for his impressive play last season, as he averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists, shooting 49.2 percent overall and 35.5 percent from three. This year, Oweh is primed for an All-American type of season, as many felt his play went unnoticed nationally a lot last season. Media outlets like The Field of 68 have even said Oweh is one of the more underrated returning players in college basketball this season, a decision that wasn't talked about enough. Oweh is also widely expected to be the preseason SEC Player of the Year, which will be announced soon. He has a very good case to be the early favorite.

Oweh will have plenty of good pieces around him to make Kentucky a Final Four caliber squad, but the 6-4 guard is going to look to be one of, if not the best player on this year's team, especially if he wants to solidify himself as a first round pick after testing the draft process this off-season. One thing he will look to improve along with already being excellent at getting to the rim and playing defense is his shooting. Last season, Oweh shot just 35.5 percent from deep on 2.1 attempts per game. He'll need to show improvement there, something NBA scouts gave him feedback on this summer and also what they will be looking for at next year's combine.

What could Oweh's stats look like next season? Let's make a prediction.

Points: 17.8 per game

Kentucky will have plenty of talent in the backcourt that will need to share minutes, but no other player than Otega Oweh should get the most out of the group. Despite bringing in talented transfers, Oweh should still be the guy, as he is the piece that completes the puzzle. His decision to come back catapulted the Wildcats into the top 10, and with him aiming to improve his draft stock in year two, he's going to have to keep up his level of production as last season, so there's no reason to expect a drop off in the points category. If he wants to be an All-American, this type of scoring should be expected. Not only that, but with how much of a facilitator Jaland Lowe is, he'll surely be looking for Oweh nearly every time down the floor. Look for Oweh to once again have plenty of scoring production.

Rebounds: 3.6 per game

This is one stat category that we are likely to see a drop in next season for Oweh, as there will be plenty of glass-cleaning big men down low as well as Kam Williams at the wing. Guys like Mo Dioubate, Jayden Quaintance and Brandon Garrison will be sure to eat up a bulk of the misses in games, so we shouldn't expect as high of a rebound number as last season.

Assists: 2.3 per game

Oweh wasn't much of a facilitator last season at Kentucky, and there's no expectations of that being any different next season. Last season, Oweh was surrounded by plenty of scoring guards and big men, but with more of an emphasis on defense and athleticism, he shouldn't be looking to facilitate as much. We shouldn't expect to see much of a change with his production as a passer, as scoring should be his main priority.

Oweh is looking to take the jump to All-American status this season and by doing that, he'll be eager to improve his jump shot, something that the team will need more consistency from. He'll be a major part of Kentucky's success once again this season, a team that has very high expectations.