As the 2025 NBA Draft inches closer, Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh faces a tough decision: stay in the draft or return to Lexington for another season under Mark Pope. The 6-foot-5 athletic wing entered the pre-draft process with hopes of hearing his name called in the first round, but recent projections suggest that path may not be so clear.
Multiple major mock drafts currently leave Oweh off the board entirely.
Kyle Boone of CBS Sports, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, and NBADraft.net all do not project Oweh to be selected in either round.
ESPN’s respected duo of Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo also left him out of their most recent mock.
The only major outlet currently slotting Oweh into the draft is Sports Illustrated’s Draft Digest staff, which has him being picked 58th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That kind of inconsistency puts Oweh in a precarious spot. Sources close to the situation say Oweh is focused on becoming a first-round pick, and if that doesn’t appear realistic in the coming days, a return to Kentucky remains firmly on the table.
In Lexington, Oweh would likely be a featured piece in one of the deepest backcourts in the country. His ability to defend, slash, and finish above the rim has already turned heads in the SEC. With another year of development under Pope, Oweh could bolster his draft stock and make a serious case in 2025.
For now, the ball is in his court.
