OKC Thunder Select Former Sooner Otega Oweh In 2026 NBA Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder added a familiar face to the roster Thursday night, selecting former Oklahoma guard Otega Oweh with the 41st overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Oweh, who played for the Sooners from 2022-2024 before transferring to Kentucky, is coming back to Oklahoma.

At 6'4" and 220 pounds, he has the exact same frame as Lu Dort. With most people believing Dort won’t be back with the Thunder next season, Oweh looks like a potential replacement or at least a strong competitor on the wing.

This feels like a good fit. Oweh has always been known for his defense and athleticism, but he really expanded his offensive game during his two seasons at Kentucky.

He earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in both 2025 and 2026 and became the fastest transfer player in Wildcats history to reach 1,000 points, finishing with 1,255. He averaged 17.4 points per game over those two seasons.

At Oklahoma, Oweh appeared in 60 games and started 28 of 32 in his final season. He was excellent in non-conference play, averaging 15.5 points, but had a tougher time against Big 12 defenses.

For his OU career, he put up 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 49.3% from the field and 37.7% from three.

After missing the NCAA Tournament in both years in Norman, the move to Kentucky under Mark Pope clearly paid off. Oweh went from a solid role player to a primary scoring option and All-SEC performer.

Oweh comes to Oklahoma City alongside fellow draft picks Aday Mara of Michigan, as well as Bennett Stirtz from Iowa.

If Oweh can bring the defensive intensity he showed early at OU along with the improved offense he developed at Kentucky, he could carve out a real role pretty quickly.

Oweh got better every year after leaving Norman, and now he gets a chance to prove himself at the next level with a great organization, in an area he is familiar with. This feels like a smart, high-upside pick.