LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky men's basketball guard Otega Oweh realized another dream on June 24 when the Miami Heat selected him 41st overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, before trading his rights to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Oweh, who spent two seasons with the Wildcats, becomes the 147th all-time selection for Kentucky's basketball program, which leads the nation in total draft selections. The selection marks the 19th consecutive draft in which a UK player has been selected.

The Newark, New Jersey native is the fourth player drafted under coach Mark Pope in two seasons, joining Jayden Quaintance, Koby Brea and Amari Williams. Remarkably, Brea was also selected 41st overall last year — the number Pope wore while playing for Kentucky.

Oweh will join two other Wildcats with the Thunder: MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and guard Cason Wallace. The Thunder won the NBA championship in 2025.

During his senior season, Oweh averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game. His most memorable performance came in the NCAA Tournament when he scored a career-high 35 points with 8 rebounds and 7 assists in an overtime victory over Santa Clara, including a game-tying halfcourt shot.

That 35-8-7 stat line marked the first time a player accomplished it in an NCAA Tournament game since Larry Bird in 1979. Oweh became just the fourth player ever to record that combination, joining Bird, Bill Bradley and Oscar Robertson.

The guard surpassed Bill Spivey's record for most career points scored by a Kentucky player in their first two seasons, finishing with 1,255 points. He was named All-Southeastern Conference twice and was a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District Team honoree in both seasons.

Oweh initially declared for the 2025 draft but withdrew his name to return for his senior year. An offseason turf toe injury delayed his start last season, but he bounced back to become one of the team's most reliable scorers.