University of Kentucky basketball player Oscar Tshiebwe is having an impressive season in the 2022-23 NCAA campaign. He’s quickly become THE most beloved player to ever walk into Rupp Arena. Possibly elevating himself to legendary status amongst the greatest to ever wear a Kentucky Wildcats uniform. He’s grounded, humble and plays with a warrior spirit. Big Blue Nation loves these types of players, of course. With the regular season coming to a close, Tshiebwe’s outstanding performance is one of the reasons Kentucky is considered a favorite to make a deep run into the tournament.
The 6-foot-9 forward has been a dominating presence on both ends of the floor, averaging 16.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. In January, he achieved season highs in several categories, including points, rebounds, free throw attempts, and free throws made. In that game against Georgia, he scored an incredible 37 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, leading Kentucky to a 93-82 victory.
Tshiebwe has been a model of consistency throughout the season. He has scored in double figures in all but one game this season and has recorded double-doubles in 19 games. In addition to his impressive rebounding numbers, Tshiebwe has also been a force on the defensive end, averaging 1.0 blocks and 1.9 steals per game.
Tshiebwe’s success this season is not just a result of his talent and skill on the court but also his hard work and dedication off it. He has shown a willingness to put in the extra work to improve his game, including spending countless hours in the gym working on his shooting and footwork.
With the NCAA tournament looming, Tshiebwe’s impressive season has put Kentucky in a strong position to make a run in the SEC tournament, receive a high-seed in the NCAA tourney and, hopefully, bring home a championship for the Kentucky Wildcats. His performance has also caught the attention of NBA scouts, and he is projected to be a high draft pick in the upcoming NBA draft should he decide to forego his COVID year and enter the NBA draft.
Overall, Oscar Tshiebwe has been one of the standout players of the 2022-23 NCAA basketball season. His dominant play has helped Kentucky become one of the most formidable teams in the country, and he will undoubtedly be a player to watch as the tournament approaches.
The Background…
The fan favorite at the University of Kentucky is a senior forward. (There is a rumor he could come back for one more year. Wouldn’t that be crazy?) He was born on November 22, 1999, in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tshiebwe stands at 6 feet 9 inches and weighs 260 pounds. He went to high school at Pennsylvania’s Kennedy Catholic High School.
Tshiebwe began his college career at West Virginia University in 2019. In his freshman year, he averaged 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game and was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer team. In his sophomore year, Tshiebwe played in ten games and averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game before transferring to Kentucky midseason.
In his junior year at Kentucky, Tshiebwe had an outstanding season, earning unanimous National Player of the Year honors from Sporting News, Associated Press, United States Basketball Writer’s Association, National Association of Coaches award, Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award. In a spectacular sweep for the University of Kentucky, he became the first player in program history to win all six NCAA-recognized awards and the first player in SEC history to accomplish this feat.
Tshiebwe was also named the SEC Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-America First-Team honoree by the AP, Sporting News, USBWA, and NABC. He won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for the nation’s best center and the NABC’s Pete Newell Big Man of the Year. Tshiebwe was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist and was named to the All-SEC Defensive Team as selected by the league’s coaches.
Oscar led all collegiate teams in rebounding with 15.1 per game. And, also led in offensive rebounding per game with 5.3. His defensive rebound percentage was an astounding 34.6% and his offensive rebound percentage was nearly 20%. He finished the season with 515 rebounds, the most of any Division I collegiate player, and became a 1,000-point collegiate scorer in the final game of the season. Tshiebwe set a UK single-season record with 28 double-doubles and became the first major-conference player to average 15-15 since UCLA’s Bill Walton in 1972-73.
Tshiebwe finished the season as the only major-conference player averaging at least 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. For an SEC player through his first 5 games he had 80 rebounds, the most ever in a five game span since 2016. Tshiebwe had 14 points and a record-breaking 28 boards against Western Kentucky and combined for 48 boards in a two-game stretch.
Oscar continues to improve his game and should go down in the history of Kentucky basketball as one of the most beloved players ever to grace the court.
Read: Locker Room Lance Leading Cats
Read: 6 Things Slowly Killing College Basketball
Read: Tyler Ulis Making An Impression At Kentucky
Read: Player Spotlight – Cason Wallace
