The Oklahoma City Thunder gave a partial surprise to most of the NBA in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft when they ultimately made two selections, taking Aday Mara at 12th overall and Bennett Stirtz at 16th.
Of course, those weren't both their original picks— the Thunder traded up with the Memphis Grizzlies to nab Stirtz at 16th. But even heading into the Draft, Oklahoma City had 14 players on the roster for 2026-27. The dominant thought was that they would, at the very least, move off of their second-round pick to avoid a looming roster crunch.
Instead, they traded down with the Miami Heat, netting the 41st overall pick and cash considerations in exchange for the 37th overall pick. They then opted to make that selection, taking guard/wing Otega Oweh out of Kentucky.
While seeking out potential rotation-ready contributors in the second round might be an uphill battle in the modern NIL era, this Draft certainly has its fair share. Oweh is one of them, and if his shooting can improve at the next level, he could quickly help fill a roster need on the wing for Oklahoma City.
Otega Oweh provides an additional defensive presence on the wing, but the real treasure is his long-term upside
Across 36 games at the University of Kentucky last season, Oweh averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 46.5% from the field. While his offensive game doesn't project to translate immediately to the NBA, given his lack of self-creation abilities, he has the upside as a defender to fit immediately into the Thunder's culture.
With a 6'8.25" wingspan and a strong frame, Oweh has all the tools to be a plus defender at the NBA level. He averaged an impressive 1.8 steals per game in his senior season at Kentucky, and he knows how to leverage his strength and quick hands to both work against attackers on ball and find his way into passing lanes on a routine basis.
The concern lies in his shooting. He shot just 33.3% on 3.8 3-point attempts per game last season. While the jump in volume and his improvement as a free-throw shooter (he sunk 73.1% of his shots at the charity stripe in 2025-26) are encouraging, it will take some time for him to develop into a viable perimeter shooter at the NBA level.
But as Oklahoma City strips back its roster this offseason in an attempt to duck severe luxury-tax penalties, they need players on the wing who can contribute immediately, at least in a limited fashion. The Thunder traded Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks just last week in exchange for a pair of second-round picks, and it remains likely that Isaiah Joe is moved this offseason as well.
Oweh will likely be on a two-way in 2026-27, so this is not an immediate fix. But if he can continue to develop as a shooter, his long-term upside as a defender could eventually make him a perfect fit for the roster hole that those players will leave behind.
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