Looking ahead, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe says, ‘I see myself as a national champion’
Listening to Oscar Tshiebwe on Friday was to think the Kentucky big man sees Tyler Hansbrough as a role model.
Tshiebwe is aware that he will be the first national player of the year since Hansbrough in 2008 to return for another college season. And he knows that Hansbrough led North Carolina to a national championship that following season.
“I see myself as a national champion because I was national player of year,” Tshiebwe said at a news conference. “Now is the time to go get that trophy to put in the school. We’re going to work.”
Tshiebwe made clear he meant the trophy that will go to the winner of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
“I’m not coming back to have fun . . . ,” he said. “I’m not going back just to win the national player of the year again. Because I already have trophies.”
Tshiebwe was the first Kentucky player to win all the national player of the year awards.
Of the trophy that goes with being named national player of the year for the 2022-23 season, Tshiebwe said with a smile, “I don’t have a place in my room to put it.”
Earlier this week, heralded freshman Shaedon Sharpe announced that he will put his name in this year’s NBA Draft. Sharpe said he would keep open the option of playing for Kentucky next season.
“If Shaedon comes back, it’ll be a different level of basketball for us,” Tshiebwe said.
But if Sharpe stays in the draft? “Either way, we’re good,” Tshiebwe said.
Tshiebwe’s UK teammates welcomed his decision to play another season for Kentucky rather than enter this year’s NBA Draft, he said.
One reason is to try to make amends for the loss to Saint Peter’s in the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Tshiebwe called that loss “most disrespectful” and suggested that Kentucky lost the game more than Saint Peter’s won it. UK gave the Peacocks “the chance” to win. Kentucky learned that you cannot take any opponent “for granted,” he said.
“This was my first March Madness,” he said. “I was so excited. . . . Some of my teammates were not ready. But I was ready. I told them this year is the year. . . . I told Coach (John Calipari), if I see someone not ready, I’ll take your place. . . I’ll be the coach for a minute. So this was the best motivation for me.”
Tshiebwe’s UK-or-NBA decision reportedly involved exploring the potential to make money from name, image and likeness deals. As of now, foreign-born players — Tshiebwe is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo — are not eligible for NIL deals.
Tshiebwe met with Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell to see if the Senate’s minority leader could help change the law and allow foreign-born players to profit from NIL deals.
“Meeting with him was great . . . ,” Tshiebwe said. “He was kind of surprised because he had never heard of this NIL. What is NIL? . . . He says he’s going to try his best because it’s a new thing for him.”
If the law is changed, Tshiebwe reportedly could make as much as $2 million from NIL deals as a Kentucky player. When asked to confirm the $2 million figure, Tshiebwe said, “I don’t know about that.”
Then he got a laugh by adding, “That’s good money right there. . . . If God can help me get that, it would be good.”
Tshiebwe, whose father was a minister, downplayed the impact of money as a factor in his decision to play another season for Kentucky. Prayer and fasting in hopes of receiving spiritual advice were part of the decision-making process.
“God says he’s not finished with me,” Tshiebwe said. “I said, I came to this place. Nobody knew who I was. Now, You carried me to the top. But my name is not in the NBA (mock drafts). Why?
“He said, if I want to put your name in the NBA, I’ll put it. I’m not done with you. I said, OK. I’m going to come back.”
When asked what he believed God wanted from him going forward, Tshiebwe said, “Keep working hard. Inspire people. Bring people to Jesus. Teach people about God. . . .
“So many people struggle right now. They don’t know about God. . . . We’ve got to motivate people. You’ve got to tell them life is not easy. You’re going to go through a lot. You’ve got to trust God.”
Of the feedback he received from the NBA, Tshiebwe said he was advised to extend his game farther from the basket. That would include making one or two three-point shots per game.
Calipari qualified his acceptance of Tshiebwe as a three-point shooter next season, the player said.
“He told me he’ll let me shoot threes as long as I keep making them,” Tshiebwe said. Fan interest in his UK-or-NBA decision was widespread, he said. He saw a trip to California as a way to get away from inquisitive fans. “As soon as I landed at the airport, (it was) ‘Oscar!!’ everywhere,” he said. He added that he thought, “C’mon man. This is not Kentucky.”
In the 2021-22 season, Tshiebwe posted numbers that had not been done in decades. So, how did it play on Tshiebwe’s mind to then not be projected as a first-round pick?
“I dominated college basketball,” he said. “I don’t worry about that. I am good either way because I trust in God. God is going to take care of me. No matter what I do, I’ll be great.”
