Something’s off with Otega Oweh. And it is easy to see.
The Kentucky star was supposed to take the next step this season to evolve from breakout junior to SEC Player of the Year-level senior. Instead, he’s plateaued, and in some ways, regressed from who he was just last year.
Of course this comes after his NBA dream was put on hold with scouts telling him that he needed to work on his 3-point shot.
The numbers on the surface don’t scream crisis: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game, 45% from the field, 33% from three. But the eye test says otherwise.
Oweh’s jumper has dipped below last year’s 35% mark from deep. His shot looks hesitant, his confidence wavers, and his decision-making has become a half-beat slow.
Against Louisville, Oweh’s performance summed up the problem: 4-for-13 shooting, 1-of-6 from deep, and multiple defensive lapses that fueled Louisville’s early separation. He looked disengaged at times, frustrated at others, and the body language didn’t lie.
A step back, not forward, for Kentucky's star
Mark Pope’s system is designed to elevate returners. That’s happened with Collin Chandler, who’s clearly taken a sophomore leap. But Oweh, Kentucky’s most physically gifted wing, hasn’t found that same rhythm.
He said after the Georgetown game that the team would “lock in” once the games started to count. That didn’t happen. And what’s more concerning is how frequently he gets beat on basic defensive concepts: backdoor cuts, missed closeouts, and lazy recoveries that lead to easy points.
Yes, he’s disruptive in passing lanes. But energy, or "dumb energy" as Mark Pope put it, without purpose doesn’t win in March, or in rivalry games like Louisville.
If Kentucky’s going to be more than just dangerous in name only, Oweh has to be the player who drives that change. He was billed as the returning star. Right now, he looks like he’s still searching for an NBA stamp of approval.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion