The 2026 NBA Draft concluded with Wednesday’s second round as teams made their final selections in one of the deepest classes in the draft’s history.
One pick that may have flown a little under the radar was 41st overall selection Otega Oweh. The former Kentucky guard, who spent his first two seasons at Oklahoma, was drafted by the Miami Heat before his rights were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While he may have not been the flashiest pick of the night, Oweh offers a lot of upside for a young Thunder team that just won the NBA title two seasons ago.
Otega Oweh could be one of the biggest steals of the draft
This was the moment Oweh’s name was called by NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum.
During his senior season in Lexington, Oweh averaged a team-high 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals. He only shot 33.3% from long range and will certainly need to be more efficient to succeed in the NBA, but his defensive tenacity and ability to bully his way to the rim could prove valuable on a talented Thunder squad.
The Thunder allowed the second-fewest points in the 2025-26 season (108 PPG), so it is not out of the question that Oweh could be a solid role player off the bench who can be a disruptor on the defensive end and become a reliable depth piece.
While Oweh’s shooting could use some improvement, his knack for driving to the rim could allow him to either draw fouls or draw some attention away from back-to-back league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and set him and others up for open looks.
Sure, Oweh’s performance in the Summer League will be key to the Thunder elevating him to the main roster and having a chance during his rookie season. With that said, his toughness and physicality should be a huge benefit on a team that he fits in extremely well on.
For starters, Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace are also former Wildcats, so he has that going for him already. When fully healthy, this was a Thunder team that clearly had a great shot at repeating as champions, setting Oweh up for immediate success on a contending team if he can earn some minutes.
It is also important to keep in mind that Oweh had multiple games at Kentucky where he completely took over on offense. His defensive prowess was his biggest trait at Oklahoma and was certainly a factor at Kentucky, but he showed that he is more than capable of stepping up in clutch situations.
Most notably, fans will always remember his scintillating half-court buzzer-beater to force overtime against Santa Clara in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Again, nothing about Oweh’s game points to him being more than a role player off the bench at this point. Still, plays like that, coupled with his toughness driving to the basket and his defensive acumen, suggest the Thunder made a sneaky-good selection here with someone who has the tools to develop into a main roster player in due time.
The Thunder are not going anywhere anytime soon as they continue to build some depth around their star players. Oweh may not immediately make an impact in the NBA and will have to go out and earn some minutes, but he is exactly the type of player who can make key plays when counted on and provide a spark when the shots are not falling.