SS PODCAST: Liberty basketball coach Brad Soucie on pain, grief, pushing forward. Tshiebwe blocked 55 shots in year one. The Kentucky Lady Bat 'Cats were hoping to avoid a sweep on Sunday in Starkville. Oscar, who speaks six languages, spoke Swahili with the students who havent reached full proficiency in English yet. Oscar Tshiebwe - Wikipedia 8: 'I give glory to God', SS PODCAST: George Foreman on finding purpose in Christ, his film 'Big George Foreman', Daily Devotional: Friday, April 28 - Just Do It, Bryce Young goes No. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Oscar Tshiebwe is an NCAA basketball player, Oscar Tshiebwe during a college basketball game, Tommy Fury calls out Jake Paul and targets comeback fight on brother Tyson's undercard with Dillian Whyte, How Armando Broja compares to Chelsea forwards in Prem with Southampton loanee better than 97.5m transfer Romelu Lukaku, Jack Wilshere set to make AGF debut on Friday as he trains with new team-mates for first time since shock transfer, Meet Conor Gallagher's stunning Wag Aine May, who is a model and the Chelsea loanee star's travel buddy, University of Kentucky's NCAA basketball team. How many points does Oscar Tshiebwe have? Freshman forward Daimion Collins played just two minutes against the Blue Devils when it became quickly clear his wiry frame was not equipped to battle against Dukes stronger post players. 2023 www.courier-journal.com. He is the 6-9, 255-pound monster who terrorizes opponents, helping the Wildcats post a 14-3 mark after Saturdays 107-79 victory over Tennessee. In addition, Oscar last month established a Rupp Arena record with 28 rebounds during Kentuckys 95-60 victory over Western Kentucky. But hes got a motor, takes a lot of pride in rebounding. Holy mackerel, Krzyzewski said when looking at Tshiebwes stat line in his postgame news conference. Then, he opted to come back for a second season. There's also a certain 5-star center in Aaron Bradshaw that's making his way to Lexington very shorty, also. I literally think the dude might run through a brick wall if you told him to or if thats what he had to do, super senior guard Davion Mintz said of Tshiebwe. Finally, we have an answer to the question that's been on the minds of Kentucky fans since January (or even before, if you follow recruiting closely): how do you pronounce Oscar Tshiebwe's last name? A week later he tallied 13 points and 20 rebounds in the SEC opener versus Missouri. In 2021, 1,687 Division I mens basketball players entered the portal. It might seem that it is helping us to win again. Prior to Kentucky, Tshiebwe played at West Virginia, where he averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game during his ten appearances. The team, theyre helping me. Jamal Murray: 5th career 40-point game in the playoffs, passing Alex English for the most in Nuggets postseason history.Murray just has 4 40-point games in his regular season career. "I'm Oscar." After facing off against him in person now that Tshiebwe has a better grasp of the English language, Krzyzewski might want to ask again. SS PODCAST: Loyola Marymounts Stan Johnson coaches for greater purpose As you can tell, the Big Blue Nation loves Tshiebwe and he has been spending some time with the fans, signing autographs or posing for pictures, after UK games recently. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. That's just it, though. As reported by 247Sports, the star basketball player received AP's Second Team All-American honors on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Tshiebwe was 12 years old at the time and that only inspired him to become closer to God. It is crazy, Tshiebwe said of the record. Wohlabaugh began the 2022 season as Kentuckys left tackle before being benched. He is the son of a pastor, but when he was 12, his father was poisoned and later died. It'll without question be mentioned to Tshiebwe via one of the many voices that will be in his ear as he contemplates his decision. They bonded over how they couldnt afford soccer balls growing up so they would make their own with balled-up trash bags and tape. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. They look at me down there and I showed them I can do things. Former Mountaineer Oscar Tshiebwe shoots a foul shot in this photo from last season. In a Zoom interview last April, Tshiebwe explained his reason for transferring by . Tshiebwe transferred to Kentucky on the date January 10th, 2021, after considering Miami (Fla.), NC State, & Illinois. Season School PTS; 2019-20: West Virginia: 11.2: 2020-21: West Virginia: 8.5: 2021-22: Kentucky: 17.4: Career: Overall: 13.6: Who got National Player of the Year? We cannot just get up and go when the people need something, especially little kids. Wildcats' game times, TV info, streaming, final scores, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. So, were fine.. It's easy to assume that both would succeed and benefit more from Tshiebwe's departure, but let's be real; If all three are on the roster next season, Calipari simply won't be able to split minutes up in a way that would be satisfactory for all parties. He participated in a basketball camp led by Bismack Biyombo, a Congolese NBA star who helped him enhance his career. Oscar has a wealthy lifestyle, with a large salary and valuable assets. On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media, Inc. had to rely on the help of a French-speaking taxi driver at the New York airport, he was a goalie for the academy team of TP Mazembe. Apparently, Oscar has been trying to teach Coach Calto speak French. By now, Oscars dilemma is well-known. Legendary rapper Lil Wayne is in Lexington for a concert Sunday night at Rupp Arena. He feels that way, too. Camera crews from UK and LEX18 were there, along with the Fayette County Schools Superintendent, but Spencer said it was just Oscar and the kids once he walked in. He understands that not knowing the culture and not understanding different things and how people look at us weird or that theres something wrong with us. Its the offseason, or in Kentucky especially, the stay or go season. It is not a show with him. He is the big man in Lexington who operates the well-oiled rebounding machine which rarely breaks down. When he decided to leave the West Virginia program, Tshiebwe asked God to guide him as he determined what his next step would be. When you go to fight, you are waiting, and you always turn, youre going to come out with something good. ', Since then Ive been praying, Lord, please just let Oscar, make a way for him to be able to come talk to these kids to make a difference in their lives.. He had three jumpers he didn't take that I was like telling him, Shoot the ball, Calipari said. Just 32 swats in year two. was "You're ruining your life," which in any of the six languages Tshiebwe speaks does not translate into . You could argue that this point depends on other seniors who are also yet to make decisions on a return or departure, but when looking at potential Kentucky rosters for next season, is it easy to just slot him back in at the five spot? We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. I want to meet him. And so that was sweet, that a girl knew that.. Tshiebwe added he works really hard to become a dependable rebounder. Kentucky's Center Forward Washington represents an African ethnicity and nationality as a Congolese. If you're finding Tshiebwe on any 2023 NBA draft boards, it's either projecting him as a very late second rounder, or talking about why he isn't shaping up to be an NBA player. But Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe receiving $2 million has ESPN's Dick Vitale protesting . "I know I always work harder and I always try to get better," Tshiebwe said. No. Tara Spencer, Beaumonts EL instructional coach, first got the idea to invite Oscar to her class while attending a Kentucky game with her husband earlier this season. Oscar used to play soccer, but because he was tall, he was urged to switch to basketball. We lost an alleged McDonalds All-American because he didnt like the fact that we were making him do things that were hard, Huggins said, according to the West Virginia student newspaper. And I got to do the things I got to help this team.. Oscar, who speaks six languages, spoke Swahili with the students who haven't reached full proficiency in English yet. Right now, probably call me a beast. The numbers are truly staggering. The joy on their faces when Oscar walked in didnt need any interpretation. During his first Zoom with the Kentucky Basketball media, Big O settled it once and for all (Shee-bway) and shared some [] Its one thing to be capable of doing the things Oscar does on the basketball court; but when you combine that talent with his ability to lead and inspire others, youve got a very special person indeed. Finally able to take the floor this season, he is among the most dominant interior forces in college basketball. Going back to rim protection, you'll get plenty with both youngsters. Just about everybody in college basketball is talking about Oscar that Oscar who plays for UK. 1 overall to Panthers, wants to 'represent God through football', Christians Working in Sports Conference aims to equip, encourage the sports industry, TRANSFORMED PODCAST: Carson Palmer - Former NFL Quarterback. He was a good coach. He has lived in the U.S. since he was 16 and didnt even see his family in person until this past summer. And I have morals. We are their examples for what we do because they want to do that one day too. Tshiebwe's blue-collar approach to rebounding quickly endeared him to Kentucky fans. Previously, Kollar and his wife were the guardians of Kennedy Catholic basketball players Mohamed and Sagaba Konate. pic.twitter.com/Hh0lM2rV0J. For me, when I go out there, I just go to fight. LEXINGTON, Ky. When Oscar Tshiebwe announced that he was transferring to Kentucky from West Virginia, the hype was certainly less than palpable. "Some of us we're not willing to fight, some of my teammates, we just got to be able to fight. Here's some good and bad, say the former National Player of the Year opted to run things back for a third season in Lexington. More rebounds, as he . That were from Africa and we cant do things. Instead, we can call him a Gentle Giant who gets things done for the Wildcats. He was patient with them, Spencer said. Tshiebwe moved to the U.S. before his freshman year of high school to chase his dream of playing in the NBA, and he did not speak a word of English when he arrived. Tshiebwe was named the National Player of the Year in 2022 after averaging 16.4 points and 15.3 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. WATCH: Oscar Tshiebwe on how to pronounce his last name From dedicating games to fans to pep talks on Cameo, Kentuckys National Player of the Year candidate should also take home Person of the Year. "Just because things dont go right doesnt mean you quit. LEXINGTON - John Calipari relied heavily on the transfer portal to build his 2021-22 Kentucky basketball roster. Tshiebwe led Kennedy Catholic to a 243 record and the PIAA Class 6A championship in his senior season, averaging 23.4 points, 18 rebounds, and five blocks per game. And as members of the Big Blue Nation, were on the lookout for any bits of information or intel to suggest which way a player is leaning. Rim protection is something that BBN is craving, and there's no reason to believe that he'll re-find a knack for blocking or grow a couple inches over the offseason. He shared that with the kids, and the kids were able to connect with it.. Based on the latest news, it does not appear an Oscar Tshiebwe return to UK is likely at this time. As he faces Kentucky-or-NBA decision, Oscar Tshiebwe says, 'I - MSN Oscar Tshiebwe inspires immigrant students to chase their dreams Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tshiebwe is also strong in his faith. Tshiebwe is a senior forward on the University of Kentucky's NCAA basketball team. Jeff Kollar and his wife, who reside near Kennedy Catholic High School, became Tshiebwes legal guardians after he began attending the school. In February, Tshiebwe spent time with a group of students from Africa at Beaumont Middle School in Lexington. (I'll get into what a return would mean for them shortly.). Tell me Oscar Tshiebwe is coming back without Oscar Tshiebwe saying he is coming back. The decision comes on the heels of the Wildcats adding USC offensive tackle transfer Courtland Ford last weekend, a move that Ba-Bum. SS PODCAST: Loyola Marymounts Stan Johnson coaches for greater purpose, Cole Swider seeking to grow as basketball player, man of God at Syracuse, SS PODCAST: Liberty basketball coach Brad Soucie on pain, grief, pushing forward, Kings Harrison Barnes, a devout Christian, locked in playoff battle vs. former team, Al Horford believes his purpose in life is to please God as Celtics eye return to NBA Finals, Aliyah Boston goes No. I hope he keeps me forever so I can teach him.. Tshiebwe recorded 12 offensive rebounds ad hit 8 of 14 shots. Thursday Headlines: One more year of Oscar Tshiebwe? Oscar Tshiebwe has a nice pass for a huge Jacob Toppin dunk. This season, we 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. On August 24, 2022, Kentucky women's basketball freshman Herron underwent open-heart surgery to mend a structural abnormality. Odds and lines subject to change. Tionna Herron is lucky she did. It's no indictment on the lovable human being, but what if things on the court go sour again? Say he understood what he needed to do to try and improve his draft stock, I wouldn't rule out a successful adjustment. Oscars father, Mbuyi Tshiebwe, was head pastor at a New Apostolic church in the commune of Kanya. Former Cats are putting on a show in the NBA playoffs. Spencer knew hearing Oscars story would be the inspiration many of her students have been searching for. Vince Marrow gets engaged and reveals UK set to add 2 high-profile transfers, Former NCAA Head of Officials was not a fan of the refs for UK - Florida, DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards honored at Iverson Classic, DeAndre Square to Rams as UDFA; Jacquez Jones gets camp invite with Falcons. Ive never had anybody go get 28 rebounds.. Once his playing days are over, Oscar said he wants to follow a higher calling and become a minister. Onyenso's shear size and defensive ability grabs plenty of attention. He's one of four 5-stars. I had to talk to them about faith and believing in God pic.twitter.com/TS8weLVyzW. No, I never had a dream about scoring 30 points in a game, he said. Oscar Tshiebwe shares continued progress in recovery from knee surgery "I hope he keeps me forever so I can teach him.". It is absolutely fair to say that the transfer portal has changed college basketball. On the same day that he died, Mbuyi pulled Oscar aside and told him never to forget God because when you lose God, you lose your life. 1 in WNBA Draft to Indiana Fever: Its just a blessing from God, Andre Jackson an unsung hero for national champion UConn, gives all glory to God, QB C.J. If you look higher up those same draft boards, you'll find Bradshaw's name, too. Name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal have changed NCAA sports recently. Oscar says he's taught Cal two French words in all these months. ", "I want my name to be remembered as Oscar who was different, not just as a basketball player.". Kentucky basketball: Oscar Tshiebwe makes statement with rebounding He was also named to the Nike Hoop Summit World Team. Tshiebwe's father, Mbuyi Tshiebwe, was a pastor prior to his death in July 2012 after being poisoned. He has a heart for the lord, he has a heart for people and hes not ashamed to show it, to share it.. Limited Ads. My God said everything is possible. The man walks to the beat of God's drum. The numbers are truly staggering. But he just told them, You know, just give it time. Virtually every fellow player in the NCAA already has that opportunity. He was not quick and rushed. He needed just 28 games to break the record for most rebounds in a single season in the John Calipari era. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound junior forward. "Our style of music is very African and he liked that. Oscar made a dream debut against Duke University where he singlehandedly kept the hopes of their team alive by scoring 17 points and 19 rebounds which resulted in a 79-71 loss. The 22-year-old who once had visions of being on the long list of one-and-done players at Kentucky is grateful for the path that led him to Lexington, even if it wasnt the one he imagined. Hard to argue with what hes done in Sacramento. Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury is impressed with Tshiebwes rebounding prowess. Tionna Herron is lucky she did. Tshiebwe leads the country in total rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game. Who is Oscar Tshiebwe and how old is he? | The US Sun When I get 20 rebounds, I give more positions. Oscar averaged 8 and a half points and 7.8 rebounds in 10 big games as a sophomore before departing West Virginia for his own personal reasons. Records were broken, hearts were stolen. Tiger out indefinitely following surgery - Yahoo. We played him last year when he was at West Virginia. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). When he came to America in 2015 with the help of Congo native and NBA player Bismack Biyombo, Oscar didnt speak any English and had to rely on the help of a French-speaking taxi driver at the New York airport to get to his final destination of Charlotte, North Carolina. On Friday, Oscar visited the English Learning class at Beaumont Middle School in Lexington, which consists of 16 students from Tanzania, Rwanda, Mali, Korea, Japan, China, South America, and Oscars homeland of the Congo. With more players facing conflicted stay-or-go decisions than any year in the past, the look of next season's squad has ebbed on a weekly basis from the moment the Kentucky star center Oscar Tshiebwe is knee-deep in the NBA Draft process, setting up visits and working out with teams as he decides whether to turn pro or return to college for one final season. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Tshiebwe had some choice words when discussing the fight or lack thereof of his team. Something like that has never happened in my life, said a happy Tshiebwe, who played on two state championship teams while at Kennedy Catholic High School in Pennsylvania. You and I both saw how reliant UK was on the midrange jumper this year. But he understood it and hes made it, so that inspired me and encouraged me to be able to do the same thing. Oscar Tshiebwe is the best rebounder in college basketball. Breaking news. It is absolutely fair to say that the transfer portal has changed college basketball. There are areas for improvement for Tshiebwe Calipari also noted he has a tendency to try and lay-in lob passes rather than dunk them because he was rarely thrown lobs at West Virginia but the biggest concern for Kentucky is building depth behind him. "When you trust in God, God is not . Tshiebwe led his team to a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 1A championship as a junior, averaging 21.1 points per game, Oscar was named to the first team of the Class 1A All-State squad. Im not a machine, he said. I went to a basketball game and I saw him, and he was so big, and he was so good. Former WVU player Tshiebwe comments clarified by The Athletic Big Blue Nation wasn't turned off, but there wasn't clear reason to be overly excited about the Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo native when looking at his career and numbers as a Mountaineer. Other factors will play into his eventual decision, however. Tshiebwe scored seven points in the 11-0 run that cut a 15-point deficit to four points, but he scored just two more points the rest of the game. He makes everyone around him raise to a different level.. This is what hes always been about. How Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe is becoming one of the best rebounders Those fans, weve got to do whatever weve got to do for them because without them we cant do anything, he explained in a virtual postgame press conference after the Vandy contest last week. While Kentucky waits for development of those players, Tshiebwe staying out of foul trouble becomes even more important. Oscar Tshiebwe Sounds Off on UK's Lack of Fight in South Carolina Void in ONT. Could Oscar and Bradshaw play together? Oscar talked so much about whenever he first moved to America, how he didnt know any English, he didnt like the food, he didnt like the culture. Oscar Tshiebwe Speaking Fee and Booking Agent Contact If they sacrificed to follow us wherever we go, then we have to do something for them. Baylor mens basketball, coach Scott Drew set out to defend title with culture of J.O.Y. What if the magic of a 25-rebound game loses its luster, because it once again didn't equal a win? Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe, last season's consensus men's basketball National Player of the Year, has bounced back quicker than expected from a recent knee procedure but will not participate . A young Tshiebwe wondered why God would allow someone who dedicated their life to serving others to be taken so suddenly. So what better way to pass the time leading up to the show than with John Calipari inside the Kentucky basketball facilities? Tshiebwe transferred to Kentucky in January and practiced with the team for the rest of the 2020-21 campaign. I can do anything for those kids because they come into the game. Hes going to be the same person every day. Here's some good and bad, say the former National Player of the Year opted to run things back for a third season in Lexington. Kentucky basketball:Savvy veterans are nice, but Duke loss shows UK still needs its freshmen stars. I give thanks to God for about every single day in my life for everything that God has blessed me with. He sent me to the place I always prayed for., >> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more stories where sports and faith connect <<. Tshiebwe is averaging 16.3 points and leads the country with 14.4 rebounds per game this season at Kentucky. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound junior forward totaled 17 points and 20rebounds in his Kentucky debut Tuesday, a 79-71 loss to Krzyzewkis Duke in the 2021-22 season opener. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tshiebwe is also strong in his faith. Elite recruit Ron Holland decommits from Texas. Maybe his defense reaches a level that does help him carve out a role-player spot on a pro roster. For his latest good deed, Oscar shared his story with some kids who needed to hear it the most because its the reality theyre currently facing. It was amazing to see my teammates celebrate and pour water on me like that. Email Jon Hale atjahale@courier-journal.com; Follow him on Twitter at@JonHale_CJ. If you take Tshiebwe out of the paint and try a transformation, you're taking so much of what he's great at away. The nickname is arguably a reference to his height and wingspan.