Oscar Tshiebwe named to 2023 Naismith Midseason Team
Kentucky center Oscar Tshiebwe has been named to the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Men’s Midseason Team, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.
Tshiebwe is one of 30 standouts to make the team, all remaining in contention for the Naismith College Player of the Year Award, presented annually to the most outstanding men’s basketball player who achieves tremendous on-court success. He was originally part of the Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List to open the regular season, one of 50 players named. The competition will be narrowed down to 10 national semifinalists in early March, followed by four finalists being named on March 21. The winner for the 2023 Naismith Trophy for Men’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 2.
Tshiebwe was previously named to the Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Watch List in January.
The star center is currently averaging 15.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 33.0 minutes per contest. He has racked up six games of 20-plus points and nine games of 15-plus rebound performances, headlined by his record-breaking 37-point, 24-rebound outing — both season-highs — vs. Georgia on Jan. 17.
Check out the 30 Naismith Midseason Team members below, with Tshiebwe being one of just two SEC members in the running — Alabama’s Brandon Miller being the other:
| Name | Class | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Abmas | Senior | G | Oral Roberts |
| Armando Bacot | Senior | F/C | North Carolina |
| Souley Boum | Grad Student | G | Xavier |
| Marcus Carr | Grad Student | G | Texas |
| Kendric Davis | Fifth Year | G | Memphis |
| Antoine Davis | Grad Student | G | Detroit Mercy |
| Hunter Dickinson | Junior | C | Michigan |
| Zach Edey | Junior | C | Purdue |
| Kyle Filipowski | Freshman | C | Duke |
| Adam Flagler | Redshirt Senior | G | Baylor |
| Keyonte George | Freshman | G | Baylor |
| Bryce Hopkins | Sophomore | F/G | Providence |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | Senior | F/C | Indiana |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | Senior | G/F | UCLA |
| Keyontae Johnson | Senior | F | Kansas State |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Junior | C | Creighton |
| Tyler Kolek | Junior | G | Marquette |
| Mike Miles Jr. | Junior | G | TCU |
| Brandon Miller | Freshman | F | Alabama |
| Kris Murray | Junior | F | Iowa |
| Markquis Nowell | Senior | G | Kansas State |
| Jalen Pickett | Senior | G | Penn State |
| Adama Sanogo | Junior | F | UConn |
| Marcus Sasser | Senior | G | Houston |
| Terquavion Smith | Sophomore | G | NC State |
| Drew Timme | Senior | F | Gonzaga |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | Senior | F | Kentucky |
| Azuolas Tubelis | Junior | F | Arizona |
| Jalen Wilson | Redshirt Junior | F | Kansas |
| Isaiah Wong | Fourth-Year Junior | G | Miami |
It’s been a tough stretch for Tshiebwe as of late, but the Kentucky center’s worst is better than most players’ best. And that’s why he remains in the running for NPOY, looking to be the first repeat recipient in 40 years.
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