Mark Pope on return of Otega Oweh: 'He's gonna help us win a ton of games'

Kentucky’s Otega Oweh withdrew his name from the 2025 NBA Draft to return for his final year of eligibility in Lexington. Few, if anyone, have been happier about that than Mark Pope, who knows what that decision will mean for his star player and the Wildcats.

Pope spoke about Oweh coming back to UK with KSR’s Jack Pilgrim while at Team USA U19 Training Camp this week in Colorado Springs. Personally, Pope is glad to get to watch him develop even further with another year as he’ll now be the top player and team leader going in for Kentucky. Overall, though, he says Oweh being back should help the Wildcats to win several games again in ’25-’26.

“Yeah, in a really selfish way, it’s such a gift to be able to kind of mentor these guys through this growing process. And so, to have another year to watch him continue to grow? And he’s going to face new and different challenges this year. He’s coming in as a marked man, right, with a ton of leadership responsibility on his shoulders,” Pope said. “To get to witness him grow through this next step in his evolution is a gift. Like, it’s, you know, that’s the best part.

“He’s going to grow. He’s going to grow exponentially again. He’s going to help us win a ton of games, and he’s going to play great basketball, and he’s going to be put in an even better position to be a pro. But, being able to watch that up close and be a part of that is the best part.”

During the spring, Oweh entered his name in and tested for the NBA Draft. He did so coming off of his junior year where he had a career-best season averaging 16.2 points (49.2% FG, 35.5% 3PT), 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals, leading the Wildcats in scoring and steals as an All-SEC Second Team selection, after transferring last offseason to Kentucky. That, followed by the draft process, had him projecting as a likely pick in the second round next week. On the day of the withdrawal deadline last month, though, Oweh announced his return, which will have him among the top returning players in college basketball this winter.

It’ll also have his team in contention to win the SEC and in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Oweh was the final, and biggest, piece to add to what’s now five returners for the Wildcats, the No. 2 portal class currently, and a Top-20 recruiting class, making a contender in Kentucky for year two under Pope.

Oweh will have to take another step for his senior year back in the bluegrass. Still, just with his return, UK is expecting an even better season than his junior one, which helped lead them to their most wins in three years at 24-12 and an appearance back in the Sweet 16.