Oscar Tshiebwe named Naismith Trophy Player of the Year finalist

Oscar Tshiebwe has been named one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year, joining Ochai Agbaji (Kansas), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin) and Keegan Murray (Iowa) on the list.

That trio, along with Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga), E.J. Liddell (Ohio State), Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona), Jabari Smith (Auburn) and Drew Timme (Gonzaga), were previously named semifinalists for the prestigious award.

Tshiebwe, who finished the year averaging a team-best 17.4 points and a nation-leading 15.1 rebounds per game, was announced as a finalist on Tuesday. A fan vote will account for 5% of the voting, which will last through 6 p.m. ET on March 29. Fans are limited to one vote per day at www.naismithfavorite.com or on Twitter (@MarchMadness and @naismithtrophy).

The winner will be announced at the Final Four in New Orleans on April 3.

Tshiebwe is the first Division I player to average at least 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds in a season since Drake’s Lewis Lloyd and Alcorn State’s Larry Smith each accomplished the feat in 1979-80. He’s also the first major-conference player to average at least 16.0 points and at least 15.0 rebounds in a season since Bill Walton at UCLA in 1972-73. Bob Burrow is the last Wildcat to hit those marks, averaging 19.1 points and 17.7 rebounds per contest in 1954-55.

He also finished the year as the only major conference player who averaged at least 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per game.

On the year, Tshiebwe finished with 515 total rebounds, pulling down at least 10 boards in all but two games this season. He finished the season with 21 straight games with double-digit rebounds and 16 straight double-doubles to end the year. The 6-foot-9 center totaled 28 double-doubles this year, a new Kentucky single-season record.

It was a historic season that will almost certainly be capped off with consensus National Player of the Year honors.

The complete list of Tshiebwe’s season accolades and awards can be found below:

• NCAA Consensus All-America First Team
• USBWA First-Team All-America
• NABC First-Team All-America
• Associated Press First-Team All-America
• Sporting News First-Team All-America
• NABC All-District 20 First Team
• Southeastern Conference Player of the Year (coaches/media)
• All-SEC First Team (coaches/media)
• All-SEC Defensive Team (coaches)
• USBWA District IV Player of the Year
• USBWA All-District IV team
• USA Today National Player of the Year
• USA Today First-Team All-American
• The Athletic’s National Player of the Year
• Sports Illustrated First-Team All-American
• The Field of 68 National Player of the Year
• The Field of 68 First-Team All-America
• College Hoops Today National Player of the Year
• USA Today SEC Player of the Year
• USA Today First-Team All-SEC unanimous selection