One of the most dominant big men in college basketball history, Oscar Tshiebwe, has decided to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA and end his illustrious career at Kentucky.
He announced his decision on Instagram on Wednesday, expressing his gratitude to God, his family, his coaches and the Big Blue Nation for their support and loyalty.
Tshiebwe is a former Player of the Year and a two-time All-American who transferred to Kentucky from West Virginia after his freshman season. He holds several records at Kentucky, such as the most double-doubles (28) and rebounds (437) in a single season. He also averaged 16.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game during his two seasons at Lexington.
However, he also faced some challenges and disappointments during his time at Kentucky. He underwent a knee surgery after his sophomore season and struggled to regain his elite form in the beginning of his junior season. He also never led Kentucky to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, as the Wildcats were upset by No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s in the first round in 2022 and lost to No. 3 seed Kansas State in the second round in 2023.
He is ranked No. 69 in the CBS Sports NBA Draft Prospect Rankings and may have a hard time making an NBA roster as an old-school big man who lacks versatility and shooting range. His departure will leave a huge hole in Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster, which will rely on some talented but unproven bigs to step up and fill his role.
Five-star freshman Aaron Bradshaw is a 7-footer and a key piece of the program’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class. Ugonna Onyenso is returning for his sophomore season after showing immense promise as a 6-foot-11 shot blocker in limited action last season.
Tshiebwe’s legacy at Kentucky is somewhat mixed, but he will always be remembered as one of the most impressive and prolific players in John Calipari’s tenure as the Wildcats’ head coach.
