Oscar Tshiebwe pushing for draft status after "fresh start" at Kentucky
The Kentucky Wildcats should be much-improved in 2021-22 compared to the program’s disappointing 2020-21 campaign no matter what, but the team’s ceiling will come down to a few key factors.
Who will emerge as the starting point guard, a position in desperate need of significant growth? Will Keion Brooks Jr. and Jacob Toppin make strong leaps with another year under their belts? Will Daimion Collins and Bryce Hopkins be ready to contribute as true freshmen?
Arguably the biggest, though, comes down to West Virginia transfer Oscar Tshiebwe’s presence in the post. Will he step in as an immediate double-double threat, anchoring the middle of the floor for the Wildcats? Or will foul trouble and conditioning issues limit his time on the floor? And just how much can he provide on offense outside of cleanup scoring opportunities with dunks and layups?
“Primed for a big year”
With the team away from campus for a few weeks, Matt Babcock of BasketballNews.com got a front-row seat at one of Tshiebwe’s recent workouts to answer some of those questions. Upon review, the NBA Draft Analyst came away quite impressed with the Kentucky big man.
“Big Blue Nation, get ready,” Babcock said. “(Oscar Tshiebwe) looks like he’s primed for a big year!”
Leading up to his time at Kentucky – and even West Virginia, for that matter – Babcock saw Tshiebwe as a surefire draft prospect based on size and athleticism alone. He passed the eye test at the Nike Hoop Summit in 2019, and optimism has only grown regarding the former five-star prospect’s NBA potential since then.
“The first thing that jumped out to me when evaluating Oscar were his physical tools,” Babcock told KSR. “Considering he’s 6-foot-9, 260 lbs. with a 7-foot-5 wingspan to go along with athleticism and a motor, I thought right off the bat that he was a legitimate NBA prospect.”
A fresh start
Tshiebwe found immediate success in year one at West Virginia, averaging 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 31 starts en route to Second Team All-Big 12 honors. He finished with a team-high 10 double-doubles and led the Big 12 in offensive rebounds per game (4.1).
As a sophomore, though, Tshiebwe appeared in just 10 games and averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest. Following rumors of discontent, the Congo native entered the transfer portal and committed to Kentucky shortly after.
“The main thing that I’ve been keeping a pulse on is his development on the offensive end,” Babcock added. “After a solid freshman season at West Virginia, he seemed to have gotten in a rut last season. I think it affected his confidence and subsequently his production and development.
“I’m hoping that a fresh start at Kentucky will allow him to get back on track.”
After a down year, Babcock was intrigued to see the 6-foot-9 center’s improvement on the offensive end of the floor. Not only was that physical growth clear, but Tshiebwe also appeared to be in a better place mentally.
“He seems like he’s in a good place right now,” Babcock told KSR. “He looks incredible physically and he’s shooting the ball extremely well. I think outside shooting is the one area that he has improved in the most.”
Improved shooting
The workout was conducted by former McDonald’s All-American and professional basketball player Jeff McInnis, who put an emphasis on shooting in hopes of expanding Tshiebwe’s game. The early feedback? Quite positive.
“Coach Jeff McInnis ran a great workout with a lot of energy and pace,” Babcock told KSR. “After talking to them, their expectations are that Oscar is going to be put in more situations to shoot and score the ball than he has in the past. Subsequently, they worked on a lot of pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop actions in addition to catch-and-shoot opportunities in an effort to allow him to be more of a floor spacer.
“I thought Oscar shot the ball really well, which I think will add a lot of additional value to him as a prospect (and to Kentucky, for that matter).”
As things stood going into the offseason, Tshiebwe was an interior force capable of averaging a double-double. At worst, he’s a cleanup specialist capable of catching lobs and finishing putback opportunities.
With the ability to knock down open jump shots, though, the sky is the limit for not only Tshiebwe but this Kentucky roster as a whole.
“Having the opportunity to play with a point guard of TyTy Washington’s caliber should make those plans a lot easier to execute too,” Babcock said. “I don’t think Oscar ever needs to add a ton to his offensive arsenal to find success; however, if he’s able to maintain his effectiveness as a physical force while also being able to hit an open shot at a decent rate, that will elevate his game quite a bit.”
Draft bound?
In terms of new expectations, Babcock wouldn’t be shocked to see Tshiebwe come off the board on draft night. After a brief dip, the draft analyst expects to see a major bounce-back season in year three.
“I’m really excited for Oscar and his future. He seems like a great kid and he’s clearly working hard,” Babcock told KSR. “I think a fresh start at Kentucky will allow him to take the next steps in his development.
“My expectations are that we’ll have Oscar projected to be selected in the 2022 NBA Draft once we launch our first big board of the season on BasketballNews.com.”
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