He attended college at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) instead, where he made the Bruins basketball team in his first year in 1987 as a 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m) walk-on under coach Walt Hazzard.

In his senior year, he was co-captain of the team and averaged 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a game and blocked 61 shots.

"[4] Owens made the Los Angeles Lakers roster for the 1991–92 season after beginning on their Summer Pro League team.

[8] Owens returned to the United States and played in the Continental Basketball Association in 1993–94, splitting the season between the Oklahoma City Cavalry and the Fargo-Moorhead Fever,[8] averaging 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game that year.

[8] Owens co-hosted the show Bruin Talk on Fox Sports West in 2000, interviewing UCLA athletes and coaches.