Thunder rookie Otega Oweh will miss season after Achilles surgery

Otega Oweh’s first NBA season will end before his regular-season debut. The Thunder announced Wednesday night that the rookie guard had undergone surgery for a ruptured right Achilles tendon and would miss the remainder of the 2026–27 season.

Oklahoma City said Oweh sustained the injury during Tuesday’s preseason game against the Pacers. The operation took place Wednesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, with Dr. Martin O’Malley performing the procedure and Thunder medical personnel present. The team described the procedure as successful and said further updates would be provided as appropriate.

The announcement settles the uncertainty that followed Oweh’s departure from the Indiana game: the club has confirmed both the tendon involved and his absence for the season. It has not announced a date for a return to basketball activity.

Oklahoma City broadcaster KOCO reported the team’s announcement Wednesday night. Its original report is available below.

Oweh, a 23-year-old guard out of Kentucky, was selected 41st in the 2026 draft. His NBA player record lists four preseason appearances, including eight points and three rebounds in 15 minutes against Indiana. A night earlier in Atlanta, he had 11 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes.

Those games were an early opportunity to work through an NBA role. Across the four appearances listed by the league, Oweh totaled 27 points and 20 rebounds. The two most recent games accounted for most of that production, but preseason totals should not be treated as a promise of regular-season minutes or a settled rotation position.

The confirmed consequence is the loss of that first competitive season. Oklahoma City can now plan knowing Oweh will be unavailable, while his next steps depend on the club’s medical and rehabilitation updates. The team has not set a timetable for his return to basketball activity.

Sources

• Thunder: October 14 medical update
• KOCO: Thunder announce Oweh surgery
• NBA: Oweh profile and preseason game log

Sources

October 14 medical update · KOCO: Thunder announce Oweh surgery · NBA: Oweh profile and preseason game log