Jay Bilas says Oscar Tshiebwe is "leading candidate" for Player of the Year

Will the Kentucky men’s basketball team have its first National Player of the Year since Anthony Davis? Jay Bilas thinks so.

During ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday, the college basketball analyst singled out Oscar Tshiebwe as the frontrunner for National Player of the Year. He chose the Kentucky center over the likes of Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Ochai Agbaji (Kansas), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin) and Paolo Banchero (Duke), among others.

“Oscar Tshiebwe, I think he’s the leading candidate for National Player of the Year,” Bilas said.

Tshiebwe was named to the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team on Thursday, a list comprised of prime candidates to win the NPOY honor. He was one of 30 players to make the team.

It’s one of three National Player of the Year awards he’s in the running for, joining the Lute Olson Watch List and the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Watch List. He’s also been named to The Sporting News and The Athletic Midseason All-America Teams.

Tshiebwe, who leads Kentucky in scoring (15.9 PPG), rebounding (15.1 RPG), steals (1.9 SPG), blocks (1.5 BPG) and field-goal percentage (60.2%), is on pace to become the first Division I player to average at least 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game since Drake’s Lewis Lloyd and Alcorn State’s Larry Smith each accomplished the feat during the 1979-80 season.

Tshiebwe will look to lead No. 5 Kentucky to yet another victory on Saturday when the Wildcats take on the Florida Gators at 4 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena.