Otega Oweh
Frame: 6’5″ 215 lbs
Position: Guard
Team: Oklahoma Sooners
2024 Draft Age: 21
Stats via www.basketball-reference.com
Offense
Oweh’s numbers don’t pop off the stat sheet, but his growth this season has been evident. His three-point accuracy has climbed from 25 percent last year to 38 percent. Oweh has put in significant work and should continue to improve with additional minutes.
Offensively, Oweh is not especially creative, but he can impact the game with his shot-making ability. He reads defenses well and hits shots on the moves as he adjusts to his opposite. Oweh’s effective field goal percentage on catch-and-shoot opportunities is a blistering 58 percent, per Synergy Sports. He converts at a higher rate on defender shot attempts than when unguarded—perhaps the extra time throwing off his rhythm.
Teams covet floor spacing for their fourth, fifth, or sixth rotation players when they step on the court. Still, Oweh’s playmaking hasn’t stood out, and he needs to improve his free-throw percentage. Usually, he’s just getting the ball to shoot, occasionally off broken plays where he’s just in the right spot and has the confidence to convert late in the clock.
Oweh knows how to play to his strengths and does an impressive job of catching and going right into triple-threat position if he doesn’t have a clear shot at the basket. This freezes the defense and allows Oweh to move the ball and relocate for a better look, or in some possessions, take his defender off the dribble and get to the basket himself.
Defense
Though most of Oweh’s accolades and growth this year have come on the offensive side of the ball, he does have the physical attributes and skills to make a good defensive player as well. In the long term, Oweh may project to a versatile 3-and-D guard.
On the season, he’s averaging 1.4 steals per game. He can disrupt passing lanes with his length and get out quickly on the break to finish in transition. Oweh’s on-ball defense is serviceable but can be improved. To his credit, he doesn’t overplay his assignment and end up in foul trouble. By staying in his position defensively, he’s been able to showcase his on-court coordination and agility to play confidently without fouling. His frame and athleticism are vital contributors to his success on the defensive end up to this point, and with that basis, it shows he has a solid foundation to improve upon.
Looking Ahead
Oweh comes from a family of athletes. His older brother, Odafe, plays for the Baltimore Ravens and was a first-round selection in the NFL Draft in 2021. Brother Kaylen also walked on at Penn State for the basketball program during the 2021-2022 season. That pedigree shows he knows what it takes to become a pro and how to commit himself to getting better and expanding his game.
With his shot-making ability, frame, and IQ, a team may take a chance with a late second-rounder. The most likely scenario for Oweh is to get an invite to summer league and show he belongs. Turning that opportunity into a G League contract would be a great start for his career.
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