Kentucky basketball got some great news this week as senior guard Otega Oweh officially returned to practice after missing the past 10 weeks with a turf toe injury.
Oweh originally said on Sept. 16 that
he expected to be back in two weeks, but the recovery process took longer than anticipated. Still, his return comes at an ideal time for head coach Mark Pope and the team as Purdue comes into town next Friday for an exhibition game.
“If you’re gonna have a guy miss the first couple weeks of practice, and he has really been out for almost 10 weeks now, he’s the guy to do it,” Pope said of Oweh at SEC Tipoff.
Despite the long layoff, Pope has been pleased with what he’s seen from Oweh in practice.
“He got a steal and raced down the floor and took off from outside the free-throw line and dunked it,” Pope exclaimed.
With Oweh back, Kentucky is now just one player short of full health, with sophomore forward Jayden Quaintance still recovering from an ACL injury.
Oweh briefly spoke at Tuesday’s SEC Tipoff and made it clear that banner No. 9 is the goal for Kentucky.
“We’re all hungry and eager to get number nine,” he said.
A projected starter and one of Kentucky’s most experienced players, Oweh was one of the most consistent two-way guards in the SEC last season. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting an efficient 49.2% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range.
Known for his physical defense and attacking style, Oweh’s return provides Kentucky with a much-needed spark on both ends of the floor. His presence also gives Pope the flexibility to experiment with lineups and rotations as Kentucky ramps up toward the start of the season.
With Oweh back and Quaintance progressing steadily in his rehab, Kentucky appears close to having a fully healthy roster, which is a welcome sign for a team that had many different injuries last year during Pope’s first full season while at Kentucky.
Hopefully, once Quaintance returns, Kentucky will not be suffering from any more injuries after that point in the season.
