Look: Former Kentucky stars promote Oscar Tschiebwe for award
As Kentucky faces Alabama inside Rupp Arena, two former stars returned to Lexington, Kentucky in order to help promote center Oscar Tschiebwe for postseason awards. New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley and former NBA forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist held up signs distributed to the student section before the game.
Kentucky is going all out in its promotion of Oscar Tschiebwe for National Player of the Year, creating the #OscarWorthy movement with a play on the annual Oscar Awards, which recognize the best films of the year.
The 6-foot-9 junior is averaging 16.2 points and 15.3 rebounds this season, shooting 58.8 percent from the field. After transferring from West Virginia midway through the 2020-21 season, he has become a dominant force in the SEC. His ability to grab rebounds and provide rim protection have gained him momentum toward postseason awards.
Along with the images of each former Kentucky star holding the poster, Immanuel Quickley sent a video message to fans and the voters.
“Got my man Oscar Tschiebwe here,” Quickley said while holding the poster. “Should be National Player of the Year. Hardest worker, tremendous character. He’ll go out and get you 30 points and 30 rebounds. So we need Oscar for National Player of the Year, BBN.”
Quickley is able to attend the game because it falls during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, when teams have a week-long break in the regular season.
Chaotic sequence in Kentucky game
A chaotic five-minute stoppage in the first half of Saturday’s Alabama at Kentucky game on CBS culminated in a dead-ball foul and two free throws. However, the process of getting there came with its fair share of confusion and angry shouts from both benches.
The stoppage started when Kentucky forward Lance Ware had an extended conversation with the referees about contact with Darius Miles during the previous play. The whistle blew and they went to the monitor to check for a flagrant foul.
During the extended break in the action, CBS showed replays where Lance Ware came together with Darius Miles for some trash talk before the later pushed his opponent in the face. No technical was given at the time, but the replay resulted in a dead-ball foul, which ESPN identified as a technical on its gamecast. Kentucky received two free throws as a result.
However, that was not the end of the delay. Kentucky coach John Calipari appeared to take issue with something in the explanation and screamed across the court at a referee. The lead official sprinted forward and came face-to-face with Calipari while exchanging words. Despite a heated discussion, no technical was given and the referee moved on to a passionate Nate Oats pleading his case on the other side.