Is Oweh’s return less likely ?
- Thread starter OmahaCats
- Start date
Honestly speaking, I would not be surprised if he can get a guaranteed contract in second round, and then leave
It is not always good for returning school for draft stock. Jax was invited in draft combine last year and had second round prospect, but he came to us, and then really tanks in draft prospect now...
Returning to school is not always good for nba prospect...
I hope Oweh stays, but Oweh may leave eventually, even if he can get 3-4M at UK...
It is not always good for returning school for draft stock. Jax was invited in draft combine last year and had second round prospect, but he came to us, and then really tanks in draft prospect now...
Returning to school is not always good for nba prospect...
I hope Oweh stays, but Oweh may leave eventually, even if he can get 3-4M at UK...
I could see a case Oweh is treated as Josh Hart player by some team and some teams are willing to give him guaranteed contract (even if it is in second round)
If so, I could see the reason Oweh goes to NBA... Even is we have 3-4M Nil for him...
I could see this circumstance happen....
If so, I could see the reason Oweh goes to NBA... Even is we have 3-4M Nil for him...
I could see this circumstance happen....
Some players raise their draft stock by returning to school,
but some others who were once considered NBA prospects withdraw from the draft, return to college, and then are no longer seen as NBA prospects, just look at Jax, Trevon Brazile...
I think Oweh is not totally impossible to get a guaranteed second-round contract. Players like Josh Hart have a place in the league, decent shooters (around 35% from three), good rebounders, good defenders, and slightly undersized. That type of player has chance to earn a guaranteed second round deal.
That would be UK with Calipari. Luckily the money is better for him at UK and we actually have a coach who’s interested in winning at UK now. A coach that puts his program above just trying to push them out for his recruiting system to move like a machine.
There’s no way Oweh isn’t coming back. Unless an NBA team decides to do something I’ve never seen happen at this point in the mocks
And yes he absolutely can raise his draft stock by retaining to college and yes it’s happened. This idea people can’t raise their stock by playing well another year in college was a talking points memo designed by Calipari to make excuses as to why he had to push them out.
All we can do is wait. I think Oweh wants to come back, but if someone gives him a better deal, he will take it on matters of business.
I still believe he returns. He is being completely transparent with all of this, though. His goal is ultimately the NBA, so of course he's all in on that front and that doesn't takeaway his love for UK or Pope. College ends eventually and the NBA is tough to get into obviously
Won’t we find out the end of the month? Isn’t the deadline end of May to remove NBA consideration? Edit: yes, just a little over two weeks from now.
May 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET.
The best projection shows him at 59th, he could certainly show out in the combine and shoot up the rankings, but he would have to do things at a level he didn't do them at all last season.
I would be a lot more worried if he was projected much earlier in the 2nd round.
That is a good player comp but until he fixes his shot mechanics I am not sure he will get serious looks.
Should know before then, most of the teams are already talking contracts with agents.
I think he might get a 2 way contract at best, that will put him back at KY to improve in some areas.
What I take from his comment is that he’s “all in” to try and play in the NBA next season but has option to play at UK if need be. IMO, if he’s mid second round, he’s probably gone.
It's hard to say, mock drafts only reflect the opinions of "draft experts", but if just one of the 30 teams likes him, he could be picked much higher than the projections suggest.
For example, if a team in the 30–40 range really likes Oweh and gives him a promise, there's a good chance he'll leave, even if he's projected to go in the 50–60 range in mock drafts.
It's hard to say, let's wait for the final outcome. The truth is, Oweh's stock is actually higher than what the mock drafts suggest. If we went strictly by mock drafts, he probably wouldn’t have even received a combine invite, and that list, voted on by NBA executives, reflects the real draft prospect much more accurately than mock drafts do.
I don’t think shooting mechanics are that big of a deal. His shot isn’t that bad, he shot 35% from three and 77% from the free-throw line. That’s ok shooting (not great but ok)
Let us just wait the final result
It is hard to judge if Oweh will stay or leave at this point
We will know two weeks later.
If Oweh ends up having solid NBA interest or receives a promise, then it means he should leave, and what we should do is simply wish him the best. But if he doesn’t have strong interest from NBA teams or positive feedback, then he should come back to school.
It is hard to judge if Oweh will stay or leave at this point
We will know two weeks later.
If Oweh ends up having solid NBA interest or receives a promise, then it means he should leave, and what we should do is simply wish him the best. But if he doesn’t have strong interest from NBA teams or positive feedback, then he should come back to school.
For a guy that plays hard, you expect no less than for him to go all in on the process. Like he states, he thinks he is a first round guy. He is going through the process and going to get the feedback. If feedback is good then he will stay. If not what he wants he will be back. No where in the article does he state he will go if he is 2nd round and so forth. Same info all along which he has been upfront about.
So far, no one has moved the needle much for OO. They have moved him up and down since January but always either not drafted or late 2nd round at the best. I love the guy, if he can get what he wants then more power to him. I expect fully with info we get online (which is not 100% reliable) that he comes back to school.
So far, no one has moved the needle much for OO. They have moved him up and down since January but always either not drafted or late 2nd round at the best. I love the guy, if he can get what he wants then more power to him. I expect fully with info we get online (which is not 100% reliable) that he comes back to school.
After reading that, I am less confident.Otega Oweh says he’s “all in” on goal of playing in the NBA - Nation of Blue
Kentucky guard Otega Oweh told Aaron Fentress of the Oregon Live on Thursday that he’s “all in” on the goal of playing in the NBA. “I’m all in,” Oweh said in the interview. “I have one more year of eligibility, but my goal is to play in the NBA, so I’m not doing this process […]www.nationofblue.com
Some guys will go whether they can make it or not. A guy like Oweh has supreme confidence in himself. He might just be ready to move on and not look back, regardless of whether he can be drafted or not. He might be ready to go even if it’s as a free agent.
But it will be okay. I like the 12 we have and we probably add one more if Oweh leaves.
Whoever it is, won’t be on Oweh’s level as a probable First Team All-SEC, potential SEC POTY, and possible All-American, but we should still have a preseason top 10-15 ranked team.
And if we can’t add anyone else, that just opens up the door for somebody like Chandler, Williams, or Johnson to get more minutes.
We would still have a preseason top 10-15 team, IMHO.
G Lowe/Johnson
G Aberdeen/Chandler
G Williams/Noah
F Dioubate/Jelavic
F Quaintance/Garrison/Moreno/Potter
Might still be in play for Luis(SJ), Watkins(F$U), Williams(TT), or Sarr(INT).
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Late second rounder almost for sure won't be drafted. There are always a bunch of guys drafted the first round and early second not expected. Wonder if he has been told that?
I hope he comes back, you would think his NIL would be more money to come back his senior year than to be a late second round pick. He's a good defender and he always gives 100%, but his shot does need work to be effective in the NBA. I don't know if he can drive to the basket and shoot over those 7 footers in the NBA, that seems to be his bread and butter. His ball handling also could improve before he takes that jump, Oweh is kind of an in-betweener and it will be tough to make it in the NBA. I have seen a bunch of players I thought would make it that didn't. He is the kind of player you want to have on your team, I just hope it ours next year.
I think he would say he’s trying to become one of the guys drafted that’s not expected lol
I always think in these situations--what alternative answers can you really give?
"No, I'm not taking this process that seriously. I'm really looking forward to getting back to Kentucky. I'm just here to waste ya'lls time."
Of course he'd like to be drafted 1st round. I don't think anyone projects or expects that. He'll get more at Kentucky than he would as a late 1st round pick. If he's a 2nd round pick?! Forget about it.
I'm not any less confident because he said what he had to say.
"No, I'm not taking this process that seriously. I'm really looking forward to getting back to Kentucky. I'm just here to waste ya'lls time."
Of course he'd like to be drafted 1st round. I don't think anyone projects or expects that. He'll get more at Kentucky than he would as a late 1st round pick. If he's a 2nd round pick?! Forget about it.
I'm not any less confident because he said what he had to say.
The money will drive this in the end. If a team won’t pick him up that pays at least somewhere close of what he can make in KY, it’s not happening. It would take guarantees behind the scenes and there’s just no way with his game, lack of ability to finish, dribble, and shoot to NBA standards, that it’s gonna happen. Of course I guess anything is possible but Oweh leaving the money on the table just to move on a year early doesn’t make sense. He also loves UK so he actually like being here.
If he decides to leave I think we go all in on a late NBA returnee or reclass top 10 option.
I would think Oweh returning is Pope's plan A but I'm sure he has plan B,C and probably D just in case.
I could not disagree more with the idea that draft combine players would return to college for NIL money. Players drafted into the NBA have a substantial contract, potential endorsements and they begin playing with other professionals without any academic requirements.
It is a life-long fulfillment for these young men to play in the league and they just can’t afford to turn down that opportunity for NIL money.
Oweh is likely gone, but I’d love to see him return.
It is a life-long fulfillment for these young men to play in the league and they just can’t afford to turn down that opportunity for NIL money.
Oweh is likely gone, but I’d love to see him return.
College basketball is now a pro league. Money will drive this. Oweh actually loves UK, I’ve spoke with him several times and one of his dreams was to play at a program like this. As far as endorsements, he’d likely get better deals in NIL than the NBA anyway.
A lot of this worry is due to how things used to be especially under Calipari but also college basketball in general. The only way Oweh leaves is if he’s willing to take a drastic cut in pay. Being at Kentucky is a positive to a kid like Oweh. This isn’t Calipari’s Kentucky.
Me too.
Though I think Williams might be more likely than Oweh to stay in the draft.
These players aren't going to make less in the NBA than they would in college. College is an endorsement. NBA is a salary. They get more endorsements on top of that.
My point is that there are many advantages the NBA has over college. No one will ever return to college for NIL money that could be drafted into the league. College ball is great and usually players will remember that time as their favorite.
But, they all want to be in the NBA and players coming back to college for money just doesn’t happen.
Oweh will return if he’s not drafted and told that he can improve his status by another year at college. This is the only scenario we see him back at UK.
Yeah, we saw that time and time again under Calipari, but I just don't see it for Oweh.
Of course, I'm not an NBA talent evaluator, so I could be way off and I would definitely tip my cap to Oweh if he managed to get such a deal.
Oweh's choices:
UK (rumored): 3.5 million
Or
NBA 2nd round deal: possible 7.5 million over 4 years (1.875 million a yr)
Or
NBA 2nd round deal: 2 way contract, not worth much and most time will be spent in the GL.
If he is able to get a 4 year deal at 7.5m, with 2 or 3 years guaranteed, it would be tempting, but that still means he's giving up 1.6 million in year 1 by taking that deal.
Looking at who got what in the 2nd round last year, there were a lot of guys that got 4 year deals (2 years guaranteed, 3rd year partially guaranteed) at between 5 and 8 million over that time. Those are pretty good deals.
Let’s say he goes with the last couple of picks and gets a 2 way contract. That would be 578,500 plus bonuses if he’s on the active NBA roster for 50 games.
Yeah the money in college could be greater, but from the players perspective, they’re inside of a pro facility everyday getting coached by pro coaches without having to worry anything else. It seems like quite a few are willing to bet on themselves than comeback for 1 more year of college glory.
If Oweh is able to play himself into a 2nd round pick i guarantee he’s gone, NIL money be damned.
How could he possibly leave Kentucky when estimates are around 3 million or more for a two way guarantee of half a million?
I’m hoping Oweh is using the NBA to drive up his NIL deal at UK.
Maybe he comes back to Pope and says, “the NBA has offered me a really good deal, can you get me a little better NIL deal?”
That’s how I would play it.
Get as much as you can, whenever you can.
Maybe he comes back to Pope and says, “the NBA has offered me a really good deal, can you get me a little better NIL deal?”
That’s how I would play it.
Get as much as you can, whenever you can.
That would be the DUMBEST decision he could make.
By returning to UK he would be the FEATURED player on a top 5 team that will be on national TV NUMEROUS times to promote himself. He would have the opportunity to become a 1st team All-American while working on his shooting and making WAY MORE than he would in the G-League where he will get literally NO exposure.
But who knows with these kids now days.
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