Sharpe is a hot topic, but today's still about Oscar Tshiebwe
In a move that should surprise no one, Shaedon Sharpe is off to the NBA Draft and he is expected to stay there, although he did leave open the option to return for the optimists. If this is the end of his stay in Lexington, he will leave the University of Kentucky behind after one half-season of college basketball with averages of 0.00 minutes played and 0.00 on-court contributions per game.
I hope you took John Calipari’s advice back in January and got there early to see Sharpe in warm-ups.
But for the fans who didn’t celebrate Sharpe’s pregame dunks and the fans who aren’t amused by Sharpe’s brief spot on the roster, there are many reasons to be upset about the situation. This whole thing was mishandled from the start, beginning with promises of next year, then double-downs and triple-downs, only for Sharpe to enter the NBA Draft where he is projected to be a top-10 pick. By all accounts, Sharpe is as good as gone.
Remember, YOU were the crazy one for thinking this was even a possibility.
But that’s not why you and I are sitting here right now on this particular space on the internet, to spotlight the mishandling and mismanagement of a potential superstar under college basketball’s biggest microscope. There are and will be plenty more conversations and stories about the misleading of a passionate fan base desperate for some good news, how Sharpe’s exit reflects on Calipari’s ‘Players First’ program, and the effect of Sharpe’s roster spot on recruiting. We’ll pick at those wounds when it’s time and this process still has a long way to go as Sharpe “tests the waters” before a final decision.
We are here right now because Sharpe’s untimely announcement has already stolen the joy from Oscar Tshiebwe’s announcement.
And what we’re not going to do is steal Oscar’s joy.
The way I see it, Sharpe knew he was testing the 2022 NBA Draft waters before he knew his roommate or class schedule on Kentucky’s campus. He was in the lottery conversation before he was sized for the Kentucky uniform he didn’t wear, so why did he need until today, three days before the deadline to enter, to say his intentions publicly? Like the comments his mentor made throughout the year and the inconsistent blabbering Calipari added to the circus, it didn’t have to be this way and now Sharpe faces criticism that could’ve easily been avoided with a little honesty, or by people around him saying nothing at all. Instead, a young man simply pursuing his dreams is a symbol of a broken system he didn’t create, and many of the fans who would’ve followed him for life have grown too tired of the drama. It’s not all Sharpe’s fault; the narrative was written when he wouldn’t help out a team crippled by injuries while his “camp” assured fans it’s a sacrifice for next year.
From a public relations standpoint, it’s a complete mess no matter what happens.
But what we’re not going to do is steal Oscar’s joy, not today.
Tshiebwe’s comeback announcement didn’t get a full lap around the sun before the Sharpe conversation took over Thursday morning and it’s maddening that this fan base couldn’t get one full 24-hour celebration before jumping back in the mud.
With the unanimous National Player of the Year’s improbable return, Oscar Tshiebwe gave Kentucky Basketball fans their first smile since February. With one “I’m back,” he injected more excitement into the program than John Calipari could all summer, but the celebration was short-lived. Today is Sharpe’s day in the news, yet another divisive and frustrating topic for the fan base, before we finished our Oscar Tshiebwe champagne.
But here in this space, we’re shining the light back on Oscar where it belongs. After all, he’s the only one who says, “I’m so grateful… anything I can do for (the fans), I’ll do it.”
Remember when he said he loves young Kentucky fans and setting an example? We could play heartwarming clips all day.
So this is where BBN’s energy should be directed, toward Oscar Tshiebwe while his big announcement is still fresh. The Shaedon Sharpe situation is what it is, a mess from the start, but the Oscar Tshiebwe situation is one Kentucky fans will cherish for a long time, likely forever.
He’s a one-of-a-kind person both on and off the floor, and nobody can steal his joy or the joy he brought so many others by declaring he wants to come back for more.
So put those Sharpe talking points aside for a moment and let’s all listen to Oscar sing “You’re welcome” because, well, you’re welcome. He’s coming back and we’re not done smiling about yesterday’s announcement yet.
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