Why Otega Oweh’s “All in” Design Commentary for Kentucky shouldn’t panic

Otega Oweh is currently testing the water and will take part in the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago next week, while he is already participating in team training with the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics. He first dives in the process head and receives feedback when he urges professional dreams.

However, the general idea was that the all-sec guard uses this time to learn from NBA teams what they already like about it, but what is more important what they want to see from him in his last season of college basketball in Kentucky.

We already know that he has not put his name in the portal, which means that his two options return to Lexington or officially enter the design. Which path does he lean? Oweh’s comments after his recent training in Portland indicate that at least he is serious about the draft of the draft, and a second year in blue and white may not be sure what most hoped when he initially explained.

“I’m all in (on the NBA),” said Oweh. “I have another year (college) justification, but my goal is to play in the NBA, so I don’t make this process in one foot.”

This has obviously made some heads in the last 24 hours. Big Blue Nation panic about the opportunity to lose star protection without having an obvious replacement in mind. It was assumed that he was the cader anchor with complementary pieces around him–doubtless Oweh’s team in his last round.

What was lost in the same interview was his firm belief in his status as a selection in the first round and how this will contribute to deciding what he ultimately does before the deadline of Stay-Ore or GO period of May 28.

“I would not say that it is completely wrong, but I think I’m a man in the first round,” he said of speculation that he needs a guarantee of the first round to keep his name in the design. “So, I will only go through these workouts, give everything, and then, when everything is said and done, I will see where I am and then I’ll make this decision.”

It brings me back to Jaxson Robinson’s decision last year when he went through the same process to choose whether he should return to college – he entered Kentucky after the Pope moved from Byu – or keep his name in the design. At that time, the reigning bigest man of the year was regarded as a selection with a medium to the end round for the status of the late first or early second with a guaranteed contract.

He made similar comments on his wish to look through the design process.

“My main focus is still to realize my long -term dream of playing in the NBA,” said Robinson at the time.

How about the speculation that he intended to connect his coaching staff in Lexington? He denied that this was also a deal.

“Although coach Pope and I have a great relationship and had an astonishing season last year, it is important that I am still researching what the best is for me,” he continued. “My recruitment is still 100% open.”

Robinson would ultimately pull his name out of the draft and committed himself to Kentucky the next day. In his first media appearance as a wildcat a few weeks later, he confirmed that there was never any doubts.

“Before something happened with the NBA, I already knew if I would have come back to college, I would be here,” he told KSR in June. “I and coach Pope were super close, that’s my husband, so I’m happy to be here.”

He treated the process correctly, kept his options open and gave everything he had for the draft before using this feedback in a last trip in college as a wildcat. It didn’t end as one of us suffered a devastating injury to Robinson at the end of the wrist, but there were undoubtedly times that up to this point looked like the complete two-way threat NBA teams that he wanted.

Oweh is located in a similar boat that is currently seen as a border design with a bleacher report. ESPN has the All-Sec Wachmann with the best available players with Koby Brea (No. 54) and Amari Williams (No. 59), both of whom have just been behind him and Robinson (No. 76).

His stock improves and can make another jump in the draft in Chicago next week, but to the point where he would financially compete with what he will do through Nile next season in Kentucky? For comparison, Antonio Reeves signed a three-year contract of $ 5.4 million as a rookie, which has taken number 47 in the 2024 NBA draft for an annual salary of $ 1.8 million. Oweh should not only earn a guarantee in the first round, but probably even a top 20 guarantee that corresponds to its potential income in Lexington.

If he can get this, we should celebrate it – because it is a massive recruitment tool for Pope and the wildcats to move forward when he is able to join the program for the first time. Others in similar situations will pull their names out of the draft, and those who are already in the portal will undoubtedly stumble across themselves to fill this point (and the associated payday). This includes no other resumption and international options that always imagine later in summer. Come on a superstar in Kentucky is a fairly simple pitch.

If oweh tip Get that – well, it’s pretty obvious why we should celebrate it. He will be one very Rich as one of the faces of the college basketball in the next season and the early favorite for the Secl player of the year.

For the time being, do not sweat the comments during the training or what he will say in the combine harvester. It is in its best interest to push all of his chips into this process in order to learn and grow from them, no matter what his next steps look like. He has to take it seriously if he wants the teams to take him seriously – and this is the best for Kentucky, which may bring a bigger, better and more mature version of the team’s leading scorer from a year ago. It worked with Robinson last May, we should not assume that this time it is not owe.

This is also Pope’s approach.

“Otega goes through this draft process, and we cheer him on every step – but I know that there is a lot here again in Kentucky,” said Pope to Jon Rothstein from CBS Sports last week. “When he returns, he will return as a suspected SEC player of the year. Obviously he has a nice future in front of him.”

The hope remains that his beautiful future will be in Lexington, at least for next year.