Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Otega Oweh will miss the entire 2026-27 NBA season after suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon during a preseason game against the Indiana Pacers on October 13.
The Thunder announced on Wednesday, October 14, that Oweh had undergone a successful procedure to address the injury. Dr. Martin O’Malley performed the procedure at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, with Oklahoma City medical personnel present.
The injury is a significant setback for Oweh, who joined Oklahoma City after being selected 41st overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Kentucky product was expected to begin his professional career with the 2025 NBA champions after developing into a productive scorer during his final two college seasons.
Oweh spent his first two collegiate seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to Kentucky in 2024. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 36 games during the 2024-25 season, shooting 49.2% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range.
He took another step forward in his final college campaign, averaging 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 36 appearances in 2025-26. Oweh shot 46.5% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc while attempting 13.9 field goals per game.
Across four college seasons, he averaged 13.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 132 games, establishing himself as a productive offensive player before entering the NBA draft.
Oklahoma City acquired Oweh with the 41st pick in a trade with the Miami Heat on June 24, also receiving $1.5 million in cash. He was signed to a two-way contract, giving the Thunder an opportunity to develop the young player while managing a roster reshaped during the offseason.
The injury comes as Oklahoma City looks to replenish its depth following a summer focused heavily on salary-cap management. The Thunder traded away Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe in separate moves designed to get the franchise below the NBA’s second-apron threshold.
