Dickie V’s Shocking Pick: Why Otega Oweh Is the Game-Changer on His All-Rolls Royce Team for 2025-26

“I don’t hand out Rolls Royce honors to just any player, unless he’s the kind to make you stand up and say, ‘Are you serious, baby?!’” Vitale wrote.

“He’s going to grow — he’s going to grow exponentially again, and he’s going to help us win a ton of games,” he told KSR. “He’s going to play great basketball and he’s going to put himself in even better position to be a pro.”

That’s how the most iconic voice and face in college basketball history describes Kentucky star Otega Oweh. Pretty cool, right?

Couldn’t have said it better myself — although he’d be on KSR’s Preseason All-Rolls Royce First Team, but we won’t hold it against him.

As for Oweh, Mark Pope believes the senior guard can be “the top defensive player in the country” and “has a chance to become an elite-level playmaker.”

“Big Blue Nation loves this guy,” he said of Oweh. “He’s strong, explosive and clutch. He hit not one, but TWO game-winners last year. He’s the Wildcats’ Rolls Royce slasher.”

Now, he’s not the only one on the list — Dick Vitale dropped his complete Preseason All-Rolls Royce Teams with 10 players included — but No. 00 certainly belongs. The Wildcat was named to Dickie V’s 2025-26 Preseason All-Rolls Royce Second Team, the legendary personality raving about Oweh’s talent and big-shot ability.

First Team

Of Car and Driver’s top five ultimate luxury sedans in 2025, three of them are of the Rolls-Royce variety. They come with a hefty price tag — all three exceed 0K retail — but you can’t get much nicer in terms of statement vehicles, earning 9.5 or 10 out of 10 grades in the official C/D Rating. They combine performance, comfort and craftsmanship at the highest level.

• PJ Haggerty, Kansas State Wildcats
• Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers
• JT Toppin, Texas Tech Red Raiders
• Graham Ike, Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Bennett Stirtz, Iowa Hawkeyes

Second Team

• Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue Boilermakers
• Donovan Dent, UCLA Bruins
• Nick Martinelli, Northwestern Wildcats
• Emanuel Sharp, Houston Cougars
• Otega Oweh, Kentucky Wildcats

The complete list of luxury talents in college basketball this season:

When you think about prestige, nothing quite matches the quiet swagger and unmistakable allure of a Rolls-Royce—those luxury beasts that effortlessly blend performance with lavish comfort, sparkling through the 2025 lineup as the crème de la crème in automotive opulence. Now, imagine channeling that same essence onto a basketball court. That’s exactly how the legendary Dick Vitale, the voice that defines college hoops, sized up Kentucky’s own Otega Oweh. Not just a player, but a bona fide “Rolls Royce slasher,” a clutch performer who doesn’t just play the game but elevates it, hitting not one, but two game-winners last season. And here’s the kicker: Oweh’s feat isn’t isolated. Vitale’s Preseason All-Rolls Royce Teams read like a who’s who of collegiate elite—players who make you sit up and say, “Wait, did that just happen?” From seasoned stars to promising rookies labeled as Diaper Dandies, this list is a masterclass in basketball royalty. Add in the confident nods from coaches like Mark Pope, who sees Oweh as a potential defensive juggernaut and playmaking maestro, and you’ve got a storyline that’s pure gold. So buckle up, because this season’s luxury talents aren’t just rolling out—they’re roaring onto the hardwood with undeniable style and substance. LEARN MORE

• Darryn Peterson, Kansas Jayhawks
• A.J. Dybantsa, BYU Cougars
• Cameron Boozer, Duke Blue Devils
• Nate Ament, Tennessee Volunteers
• Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville Cardinals
• Darius Acuff, Arkansas Razorbacks

Diaper Dandies

Vitale also named his Preseason Diaper Dandies, a list of newcomers that Kentucky fans will be plenty familiar with as past recruiting targets and future opponents.

Now he’s got the Rolls-Royce emblem next to his name as the likely Preseason SEC Player of the Year.