UK's Otega Oweh Selected No. 41 Overall in NBA Draft

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Another dream was fulfilled on Wednesday night when Kentucky men’s basketball’s senior guard Otega Oweh was selected No. 41 overall by the Miami Heat in the 2026 NBA Draft. His draft rights were then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Otega Oweh in action during the 2026 SEC Tournament in Nashville. (Photo by Wayne Mason)

Oweh is the 147th all-time selection for the Kentucky men’s basketball program, the nation’s all-time leader in total draft selections. This also marks a nation-leading 19th straight draft in which a UK player has been drafted. Oweh is the fourth player under Mark Pope in two seasons to hear his name called in the NBA Draft joining Jayden Quaintance, Koby Brea and Amari Williams.

This marks the second consecutive draft the Cats have had a player taken at No. 41 overall. Brea was picked at No. 41 a season ago – signifying the jersey number worn by Pope at Kentucky.

Oweh would be joining two other Wildcats in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace in Oklahoma City. Gilgeous-Alexander is the two-time reigning most valuable player.

The Newark, New Jersey, native had a prolific two-year career for the Blue and White. He averaged 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in the 72 games with the Cats, and he reached double-figure scoring in 68 games played.

During his senior season, Oweh passed Bill Spivey for the most career points scored by a Kentucky player in their first two seasons with the program (1,255). His 1,255 career points with the Cats trailed only Kyle Macy (1,411) for the most points scored all-time by a transfer.

Oweh’s most spectacular performance came during the NCAA Tournament during his senior season. He had a career-high 35 points and added team highs in rebounds (8) and assists (7) in UK’s overtime win over Santa Clara in the opening round. He also drained a game-tying halfcourt heave to force the extra time. His 35-8-7 stat line marked the first time a player accomplished that line in an NCAA Tournament since Larry Bird of Indiana State in 1979. Oweh also became just one of four players to ever record that stat line during the NCAA Tournament joining Bird, Bill Bradley (Princeton, 1965) and Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati, 1959). He is the only player in Kentucky history to have 30 or more points, five or more rebounds and five or more assists in an NCAA Tournament game.

He was twice named to the All-Southeastern Conference team and was a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District Team honoree in both seasons as well.