Why Otega Oweh should be the SEC POTY frontrunner entering next season

Otega Oweh is one of the top returning players in all of college basketball next season, with many analysts in the sport saying that he is poised for an All-American season in his second year playing in Mark Pope's system.

Based on his performance last season and the improvements he could make before next season begins, there is no question that Oweh should be the early frontrunner for SEC Player of the Year. Last season, Oweh had a streak of 26-straight games of scoring in double-figures, the longest such streak at Kentucky since Malik Monk in 2016-17. Oweh's case on being the SEC POTY frontrunner next season helps with the reigning SEC POTY and National POTY finalist Johni Broome not returning to Auburn, as well as Mark Sears of Alabama, who was a National POTY candidate last season. It's also worth noting that Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) and Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M) will not be returning to school.

Of the All-SEC First and Second Team honorees from this season, only Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State) is returning for another year of college basketball. Hubbard was second in the SEC in scoring last season with 18.9 points per game before earning All-SEC Second Team honors, the same as Oweh. Out of the SEC's top 10 scorers, only Hubbard (2nd) is returning to the SEC. If Oweh continues his production at the rate he did last season, there's no question why he shouldn't win the award. The 6-4 guard averaged 16.2 points (11th in SEC), 4.7 rebounds and 49.2 percent overall (5th in SEC) as well as 35.5 percent from deep. With the feedback he received from the NBA Draft, his goal is to use that to improve in certain areas next season and get even better over the course of the season.

The door is wide open for Oweh to be the favorite for SEC Player of the Year. He's got the stats from last season to back that up, and with a bulk of SEC talent leaving, his case for the being the early favorite for the award just got even better. Oweh will be chasing an All-American caliber season and there is no question he shouldn't be the early favorite to be the best player in the SEC.