Kentucky Wildcats Send Duo to NBA Draft Combine
LEXINGTON, KY – The Kentucky Wildcats basketball program will have a strong presence at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, with guards Otega Oweh and Koby Brea earning invitations to the prestigious event. The NBA announced the 75-player invite list on Friday, confirming the Wildcats’ representation among the top collegiate prospects. The combine, taking place in Chicago from May 11-18, offers a crucial opportunity for players to showcase their skills and improve their draft positioning.
The invitation marks a significant milestone for Oweh and Brea in their NBA aspirations. The combine provides a platform to participate in various drills and scrimmages, allowing NBA scouts and general managers to intimately assess their talent and potential fit within professional rosters. The performances at the combine can substantially influence team evaluations, creating a pivotal moment in shaping the players’ draft prospects.
While Oweh and Brea will represent Kentucky at the combine, several other former Wildcats did not receive invitations. This group includes Amari Williams, Andrew Carr, and Lamont Butler. The absence of these players from the invite list doesn’t necessarily preclude their NBA aspirations. Many players who aren’t initially invited to the main combine often find a chance to participate through alternative routes.
One such pathway is the NBA G League Elite Camp, a secondary event that serves as a potential springboard to the main combine for top performers. Players who demonstrate outstanding skills at the Elite Camp can receive a late invitation to the NBA Draft Combine, offering a second chance to impress professional scouts. The G League Elite Camp provides an important opportunity for those who were not initially selected for the main event to continue showcasing their abilities and potentially raise their draft stock. The NBA scouting team monitors these events closely, seeking to discover hidden talent and provide opportunities for deserving players.
For Jaland Lowe, a transfer point guard committed to Kentucky while exploring the NBA Draft, the lack of an invitation may initially be disappointing. However, Lowe’s decision to pursue a professional career while maintaining his college eligibility provides flexibility as he explores his pathway into professional basketball. He can benefit from continued development within the Kentucky Wildcat program as he considers his options. For each player, the paths leading to professional careers may differ, however, each provides an opportunity to demonstrate talent at the highest level.
The NBA Draft Combine remains a vital element of the NBA Draft process, providing an intensive evaluation period for some of the top college basketball prospects in the nation. The presence of Oweh and Brea at this year’s combine underscores the continued success of the Kentucky Wildcats program in developing NBA-caliber talent. The upcoming combine will be closely watched among NBA fans and scouts alike, anxious to see how these Wildcats and their fellow prospects perform.
