The illustrious career of Oscar Tshiebwe, the prominent big man for the University of Kentucky Wildcats, has come to a close. Tshiebwe, a two-time consensus All-American and former national player of the year, recently announced his decision to enter the 2023 NBA Draft, thus concluding one of the most remarkable chapters in the history of UK basketball.
Tshiebwe’s individual accomplishments over his two seasons with the Wildcats are truly remarkable and place him in a league of his own. He has secured a spot in the top 10 for rebounds, with an impressive tally of 952, and ranks within the top 25 for blocks with 87. Additionally, he is placed in the top 30 for steals with 112 and the top 50 for points with 1,117. His 48 double-doubles match the second-highest record at UK, sharing the honor with Cotton Nash and trailing only Dan Issel’s 64.
Throughout his 66 games with the Wildcats, spanning two seasons, Tshiebwe averaged an outstanding 16.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. This exceptional performance led to him becoming only the ninth two-time consensus All-American in Kentucky’s history, a feat last achieved by Kenny Walker in 1985 and 1986. His total of 1,117 points ranks as the second-highest for any two-year period in the school’s history, trailing only Bill Spivey’s 1,213 points. Tshiebwe’s rebounding prowess is unrivaled, as his 952 rebounds place him at the top of the all-time rankings.
Tshiebwe’s dominance is exemplified by his accumulation of eight 20-rebound games throughout his career at Kentucky. Remarkably, since the 1970-71 season, all other UK players combined have managed only seven such games. His astounding performance of 28 rebounds against Western Kentucky last season is the highest achieved by a Wildcat since Mike Phillips in 1976. Moreover, his 25 rebounds in a first-round victory over Providence this season marked the highest rebounding total in any NCAA Tournament game since 1977.
Notably, Tshiebwe accomplished three 20-20 games during his collegiate career, with his most outstanding performance being a 37-point, 24-rebound spectacle against Georgia this season. This remarkable achievement places him among the elite group of only five players in the history of the school who have recorded a 35-20 game, with the last occurrence being in 1976.
Despite Tshiebwe’s exceptional contributions, Kentucky struggled to find success in the NCAA Tournament during his tenure. In three tournament games, Tshiebwe accumulated an impressive 63 points and 59 rebounds, averaging 21 points and 19.6 rebounds per game. However, the team’s record stood at 1-2.
Expressing his disappointment, Tshiebwe shared his regret for not fulfilling his dream of achieving greatness during his time at Kentucky. He humbly acknowledged that not everyone can see their dreams come true, and he expressed gratitude to God and the entire Kentucky community for the opportunity.
Despite the team’s mixed results, Tshiebwe’s legacy in Lexington is firmly established, making it highly likely that his No. 34 jersey will be raised to the rafters of Rupp Arena one day.
In the previous season, Tshiebwe became only the second player in the history of the school to receive the consensus national player of the year award, following in the footsteps of Anthony Davis. This prestigious accolade was bestowed upon him after he achieved an impressive average of 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game,
