Thunder Rookie Carried Off to Locker Room After Scary Injury in Preseason Thriller vs. Pacers

The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 114-112 in a close preseason game on Tuesday that went into overtime. However, the win came with a worrying moment. A 23-year-old Thunder guard suffered a scary injury during overtime, leaving his teammates and coaches worried.

Rookie Otega Oweh left the game after suffering an apparent injury to his lower right leg. The 23-year-old guard planted his right foot while defending and tried to push off the ground. However, he fell to the floor and immediately grabbed the back of his right ankle. 

Oweh needed help to leave the court and return to the locker room for further tests. According to a video shared by Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic on X, Otega Oweh was seen being carried to the locker room by Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein, raising concerns about the seriousness of his injury.

Oweh finished with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed three rebounds in his 15 minutes on the court.

The Thunder have not shared an official update about Oweh’s injury. However, the fact that he suffered the injury without contact and immediately grabbed his right ankle has raised concerns about a possible Achilles injury.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault shared his reaction after the game. He expressed his sadness about the rookie’s situation, saying, “It’s really tough. Really tough. It’s tough for him.”

The incident might have also reminded fans of Tyrese Haliburton’s injury during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon during that game.

The team will need to wait for Oweh's medical results to understand how serious the injury is and whether he will miss any games.

Otega Oweh's Summer League Injury Struggles

This is not the first time Otega Oweh has faced an injury since joining Oklahoma City. Miami Heat selected him with the 41st pick in the 2026 NBA Draft before the OKC acquired him. He played college basketball for Oklahoma and Kentucky, averaging 13.3 points on 47.8% shooting in 132 games over four years before entering the NBA.

Oweh had also suffered a left foot injury during his second Summer League game this year, forcing him to miss the Thunder’s remaining games. Now, his latest injury has raised more concerns as he tries to build his career in the NBA.

Brooks Barnhizer, another Thunder player on a two-way contract, also spoke about Oweh's injury. However, he also focused on the rookie’s personality and the positive effect he has on people around him

"Any time you see somebody get hurt, whatever it may be, it’s never good," Barnhizer said (via The Oklahoman). "But with the kind of kid Otega is, regardless of what it is, he's going to be OK. He's such a lively person. Whenever he walks into the room, he puts a smile on everybody's face. … He's an amazing human being. So, whatever it may be, he's going to be OK."

Barnhizer’s words showed the respect Oweh has earned from his teammates in such a short period. His injury has created uncertainty about his immediate future, but the support of his teammates could help him during his recovery.

An official update from the Thunder is awaited.