Kentucky's Otega Oweh named SEC Preseason Player of the Year

Kentucky’s Otega Oweh will be seeking to do something during the 2025-26 college basketball season that only 16 other players have accomplished in the history of the tradition-rich program.

On Monday, the Wildcats’ senior guard was tabbed as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year leading up to the league’s Media Day festivities.

It marks only the seventh time a Kentucky player has earned the preseason honor.

The 6-foot-4 Oweh averaged 16.2 points last season to lead UK. He also averaged 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

Also earning votes for preseason player of the year were Tennessee’s Nate Ament, Florida’s Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, and Thomas Haugh; Malik Dia of Ole Miss, Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard, and Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford.

Oweh was joined by Condon, Hubbard, Pettiford, and Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr. on the preseason All-SEC First Team.

Junior point guard Jaland Lowe, who averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game last season at Pittsburgh before transferring to UK this spring, earned third-team SEC preseason accolades for the Cats.

Kentucky will be seeking its league-best 50th SEC championship this season. Mark Pope‘s squad has been tabbed to finish second in the SEC behind defending national champion Florida.

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KENTUCKY SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS:

1966 – Pat Riley

1972 – Tom Parker

1973 – Kevin Grevey

1975 – Kevin Grevey

1980 – Kyle Macy

1985 – Kenny Walker

1986 – Kenny Walker

1993 – Jamal Mashburn

1996 – Tony Delk

1997 – Ron Mercer

2001 – Tayshaun Prince

2003 – Keith Bogans

2010 – John Wall

2012 – Anthony Davis

2016 – Tyler Ulis

2017 – Malik Monk

2020 – Immanuel Quickley

2022 – Oscar Tshiebwe