“Please don’t leave us”: Kentucky fans react as Otega Oweh declares for NBA draft
Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh has decided to declare for the NBA Draft while keeping an ace in the hole by maintaining his collegiate eligibility. Oweh was expected to be the centerpiece of Mark Pope's roster for the 2025-26 season, but his decision to test the water with the pros might disrupt those plans.
Fans were quick to react to the announcement and perceived the news from different angles:
"Please don’t leave us 😩," begged one fan
"Testing the waters to see what he needs to improve on… he will be back. Y’all forget how this works?" explained another
Another fan wished him the best of luck "Go be great otega if you get a good draft stock."
"This is what I expected, enter, test yourself, decide on stay in draft or come back. Why are ppl surprised or sad?" said someone who saw it as completely normal.
Some fans understood his decision, but didn't want to see him leave:
"NO! We want to keep our OO! He's got to do what's best for him, we understand but we hate to see him go! Good luck to him but I'm selfish and want him here!" declared one person.
Some people didn't like the position Otega Oweh was leaving the Wildcats in.
"Well, great you’re gonna have to wait forever to see if he comes back, and it puts the cats in limbo, waiting to see if we need to get somebody else to replace him," complained someone.
Otega Owe is a former four-star recruit out of New Jersey, who initially enrolled at Oklahoma in 2022. After spending two seasons with the Sooners, he jumped in the transfer portal as a four-star transferee and joined the Kentucky Wildcats. Last season, he was a Second Team All-SEC selection.
Otega Oweh's message to fans after declaring for the NBA Draft
Otega Oweh announced his decision to join the transfer portal through his Instagram account, with a post which included the following statement:
"To the best fans in the nation, the Big Blue Nation — getting to play the game I love each day, knowing I have your support alongside my family and friends, has truly been a dream come true, and I am incredibly blessed. I'm taking the next step and have declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, while maintaining my NCAA eligibility,"
Oweh averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in 2024-25 for the Kentucky Wildcats. All those were career-high numbers, with him starting 36 games for Kentucky.
Read more: Kentucky basketball transfer portal tracker: Full list of players set to leave and joining Mark Pope's squad