Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh has established himself as one of the top guards in the country, earning All-SEC Second Team honors for his efforts this season.
He’s been the primary scorer for the Wildcats and the engine behind their terrific offense, averaging 16.2 ppg on 49.5% shooting from the field while grabbing 4.6 rpg. He’s also a terrific defender at 6’4″– something NBA teams are always looking for.
5 Potential NBA Landing Spots for Otega Oweh
While Oweh is only a junior and still has a year of edibility left if he chooses to use it, he’s projected to be a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft with the ability to continue moving up with a solid NCAA Tournament and pre-draft performances.
OTEGA OWEH BEATS THE BUZZER 😱
Kentucky gets the last-second win to knock off Oklahoma 😤 pic.twitter.com/QxGFf3NC6i
— ESPN (@espn) March 14, 2025
Here are five teams that should have their eye on the Kentucky guard.
Los Angeles Clippers
One of the best defensive teams in the league will likely look to add another defensive-minded guard in the second round of the draft. Oweh fits that mold with the ability to create his own offense as well — but may need time to develop his outside shot.
He’d have that opportunity with the Clippers, who already have guards James Harden and Norman Powell in place. Oweh would have the opportunity to develop behind them and come in for defensive assignments where his game should immediately translate to the next level.
Cleveland Cavaliers
As a championship contender, the Cavaliers will likely be looking to add older, more experienced players in the 2025 NBA Draft. They’d get that in Oweh, who’s played three seasons of college basketball and showed improvement each season.
That’s a perfect combination for an experienced player — someone who still has untapped potential. Oweh could sit and develop in the shadows and eventually may replace forward Isaac Okoro, who is known as a defensive stopper but as a below-average shooter and scorer — where Oweh could provide more of a punch on that end.
New York Knicks
Oweh’s game would just fit in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system which focuses on defense and durability. However, this season the Knicks have simply not been good on the defensive end of the floor.
Adding a defensive-minded guard who’s played all 32 games for the Wildcats would be a smart pick for the Knicks. Current New York guard Miles “Deuce” McBride was a second-round pick but has become a staple in Thibodeau’s rotation due to his defensive tenacity at the guard position and ability to space the floor.
Oweh certainly needs to improve his outside shot to reach that level, but the Knicks seem to always find the most hard-working guys and immediately plug them into the lineup for heavy minutes.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets are another defense-first team that may now be looking at more experienced prospects through the draft. They’re particularly weak defensively at the guard positions, with Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green proving to be below-average defenders.
Drafting Oweh would solve some of those problems, as he could end up playing big minutes for a Houston team whose identity is based on that end of the floor. The Wildcats guard would also have a tremendous environment of growth around him, as multiple Rockets have improved their game over the years.
Miami Heat
Oweh would fit right into “Heat Culture.” As a hard-working, rugged guard, he could be the next late-round/undrafted gem that the Miami organization finds and develops. The fit would be excellent, as the Heat already need a guard off the bench that can create offense.
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Oweh has proven that he can do at a high level while also providing intensity on defense — a Miami staple. His outside shooting does need work, but head coach Erik Spoelstra has built a tremendous developmental program that would give him as much attention as he needs to improve that aspect of his game.
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