Oklahoma City’s Summer League group has opened with two losses, including an 82-77 defeat to the Hawks on Monday night, but the bigger story for the Thunder has been the early development of their rookies.
Some newcomers have already flashed what they can bring, with Aday Mara standing out as an efficient shooter and a strong defender. Others are still trying to settle in, and that includes second-round pick Otega Oweh.
Oweh, the No. 41 pick in this year’s draft, signed a two-way deal with Oklahoma City for the upcoming season. He doesn’t carry the same immediate roster pressure as Mara and Bennett Sirtz, who are both on the 15-man roster, but he is still working to get his Summer League production moving in the right direction.
The Kentucky guard has not been a liability, but the shot has not come around yet. He opened Summer League with eight points on 42.9% shooting and missed both of his attempts from three. Against the Hawks, his scoring dipped to four points and his shooting fell to 14.3%.
As the Thunder get ready for their third game Tuesday against the Jazz, Oweh is looking to find a rhythm. That isn’t a surprise given what he showed at Kentucky, where he averaged 18.6 points per game as a senior, and he may simply be adjusting to the speed and style of the pro game.
Even with the rough shooting, Oweh has given Oklahoma City plenty to like on the other end. He’s averaging two steals per game this summer and has been active on the boards, with four rebounds in the opener and five in the second game.
His jump shot does need to come around, but Oweh doesn’t have to carry the offense to matter. If he keeps bringing the defense and rebounding while the shot starts to fall, he could become another useful piece for OKC this season.
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