In the eyes of many, the Oklahoma City Thunder were likely going to move off of one of their three selections in the 2026 NBA Draft, at least if they thought the young talent available wasn't worth sacrificing some of their veterans.
But after making both first-round selections, grabbing Aday Mara at 12th and Bennett Stirtz at 16th, the Thunder doubled down on their influx of young talent by grabbing Otega Oweh. Oweh was selected after a trade back with the Miami Heat to landed them the 41st overall pick. Oweh will likely sign a two-way deal, meaning he won't take up a full roster spot as a rookie.
But in the long-term, the high-energy, defensively-capable wing likely has a path to breaking into the rotation. John Hollinger, in his second-round draft grades for The Athletic, compared Oweh to Ajay Mitchell, likely referring to his downhill ability and fast-twitch athleticism.
"I’ve been a big fan of Oweh’s and am pleased to see him go this high. While I don’t think he’s a star or anything, the open spaces of the NBA floor should help him, and he has a real chance to be a rotation player if he can just shoot a bit more consistently. There are some Ajay Mitchell similarities here. I presume the Thunder will have him on a two-way given the crowded roster." John Hollinger, The Athletic
Given the outlier path that Mitchell's development has taken, this could be a bit of a far-fetched ceiling for Oweh. But if Oweh can polish his perimeter shot, it's quite possible the Thunder have gotten another steal of Mitchell's caliber in the second round.
Otega Oweh needs to polish his offensive game, but the parallels to Ajay Mitchell are clear
When Mitchell came into the league out of Santa Clara, he was seen as a guard with distinct two-way potential, even if the shot and his defensive game needed to be cleaned up a bit. He averaged 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists while shooting 39.3% from beyond the arc across 29 games during his junior season.
In his second season with Oklahoma City, everything came together. Mitchell was not only an important off-ball scorer for the Thunder with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the court, but he was also a formidable offensive threat in his own right, hitting his 3-pointers at a relatively consistent rate and displaying his ability to attack closeouts and turn the corner on his defender during his downhill drives.
Heading into his third season in the NBA, he's overcome many of the doubts that surrounded him during his draft process and looks like he's on track to become a hugely important contributor for the Thunder. Mitchell was selected 38th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Oweh, in many ways, profiles similarly. Although his perimeter shot was less consistent than Mitchell's at the college level (Oweh shot just 33.3% from beyond the arc during his college career), his defensive upside is perhaps even greater. With a 6'8" wingspan and impressive lateral athleticism, Oweh should be able to acclimate to Oklahoma City's swarming defensive scheme relatively quickly.
The offensive upside is there, also, although it may not be to the same level as Mitchell's. Oweh is a formidable slasher and has the handle and the explosiveness to get downhill routinely. If his perimeter shot starts to fall at the next level, an ascendance like Mitchell's is not out of the realm of — even if it takes until the end of his rookie contract.
Hollinger's comparison, therefore, should have Thunder fans ecstatic about the Oweh selection.
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