By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Otega Oweh hasn’t made up his mind regarding his future, but was “just going through the process” at the NBA Combine in Chicago last week.
“It’s the combine,” Oweh told the Lexington Herald-Leader earlier this week. “This is what you dream about. I remember when I was younger, I was watching all this stuff. And now I’m in it. So it’s just a great situation. And I’m just blessed to be here. The experience has been amazing.”
Oweh has had meetings and workouts with several NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and the Portland Trailblazers. In two scrimmages this week, Oweh scored 24 points, eight rebounds and just two turnovers in 47 minutes. He also had four assists.
“They went really well (and) I got a lot of good feedback,” Oweh said. “It was a lot of just playing. And, you know, I love playing. Those workouts went really, really well. I’m just using this whole process to get as much feedback as I can. And whatever they tell me, that’s how I’ll make my decision.”
The feedback has been positive for Oweh and the Kentucky guard knows more work needs to be done to reach elite status.
“It’s kind of no doubt that I could play at the next level,” he said. “But it’s just the little things that they’re still trying to see. Overall, a lot of guys have just been high on me, on my game. And they’ve given me a lot of jewels that I can implement my game with.”
Kentucky coach Mark Pope added that Oweh’s ceiling remains high at the collegiate and professional level.
“Like all of us, he has so much room to grow,” Pope said. “I think his ceiling as a playmaker, he hasn’t even begun to tap into that. I think he can become an elite, elite-level playmaker.”
Oweh plans to “enjoy” the process and take his time before deciding whether or not to remain in the NBA Draft. The deadline is May 28.
“You only get to do this so many times,” he said. “Being able to go to these different states and play and compete with these guys in their own facilities — it’s a great thing.
“I’m trying to do as much as I can before I make that decision, and get as much feedback as I can, and just have as many eyes see me. So I don’t have a timetable, specifically, but I feel like maybe once the Combine is done, I’ll probably know more about which way I’m leaning.”
If he decides to return to Lexington, Oweh added that he’s “got a good situation back at Kentucky if I do choose to go back.
“Either way, I’m just thankful to be here (at the combine),” Oweh said.