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Oscar Tshiebwe “Not Opposed” to Returning to Kentucky Next Season

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2 years ago

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Just prior to his freshman year of high school, Oscar Tshiebwe made the move to the United States from his home country of the Congo, in pursuit of a basketball career. Yet, there was a problem, he wasn’t very good at basketball.

“When I tell you he was not good at basketball when he got here, he was not good at basketball,” Jay Cinco, Tshiebwe’s grassroots coach, said in an interview with The Athletic. “Always had the motor, but not much else.”

That motor is what has helped develop Tshiebwe into the player he is today, the reigning consensus National Player of the Year and someone who has set program and national records. However, Tshiebwe wants to be remembered for more than the accolades and impressive stats. “My trophies, nobody will probably remember those,” he said last summer. “A trophy for the school is going to be talked about forever.”

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Tshiebwe’s quest for a championship is a primary reason that he returned for a second season at Kentucky, but if he is not able to accomplish that this season, could he return for a third year and team up with 2023’s impressive recruiting class?

It’s not likely, especially given the depth of the frontcourt – Onyenso, Bradshaw, & Collins – but Tshiebwe’s agent, Nate Conley, says it’s not out of the realm of possibility. “I’ll be honest, he’s not opposed to it,” Conley says. “He wants to do what’s right for him and his career and his life, and there is that option to come back, so you never know. I think a lot of people would be surprised, but I would tell you Oscar is very open-minded.”

Whether or not he wins a national title, and whether or not he returns for another season, Tshiebwe will still be remembered amongst the greats in Kentucky lore. While his video-game like performances is one reason for that, I would argue it’s not the biggest, that would be his heart and passion for the state of Kentucky.

“I feel like I’m home. I even told my mom, I said, ‘listen, I’m not leaving Kentucky,’” Tshiebwe said last summer. “I’m gonna live in Kentucky. I love farms. I’m going to live in Kentucky one day, on a farm. Because this place, people love me a lot, and I love them.”

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That love can be seen with any fan interaction, ranging from children to the those remember the days of Adolph Rupp, creating lasting memories for thousands in the Big Blue Nation. While many great players have donned the Kentucky blue and white, few have been as personable.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

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3 days ago

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November 18, 2024

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Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
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The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

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“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

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5 days ago

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November 16, 2024

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Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
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John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

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“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

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ESPN’s Jay Williams Gives Message to Kentucky Fans, “You’re Not Going to Like It…”

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6 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams gives a message to Kentucky fans after the Wildcats win over Duke. "You won't like it."
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Back in April, opposing fanbases like Duke, told Kentucky fans to “cope with Pope” following the hire of Mark Pope and the corresponding initial shock. On Tuesday, those same fanbases had to watch as Mark Pope outcoached Jon Scheyer and Duke in the final minutes of the Champion’s Classic to get his first marque win in just his third game at Kentucky.

Of course, shortly after the game, Duke fans began to rationalize the loss by highlighting their team’s youth. While true, it sounded like an echo chamber of what Kentucky fans said for years under John Calipari. One notable example was former Blue Devil Jay Williams.

At halftime, while Duke was leading 46-37, Williams called this year’s Duke team the most talented since the 2001 team that he was a part of at halftime. To his credit, he complimented Kentucky on the comeback victory, specifically on their offense and maturity, but then 36 hours later he posted a message to Kentucky fans on social media.

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“Let me put you on to something,” Williams started. “Whether you like it or not, networks are going to sell Cooper Flagg. He’s going to be the number one pick in the draft. You’re going to talk about whether he won the or whether he lost the game, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’re not going to like it. There should be more kudos to Mark Pope and Kentucky,” Williams continued. “Regardless of whether you won the game or not, they’re still going to sell Cooper Flagg because he is selling the sport. Sorry.”

William’s statement is true. That said, it comes off as ‘sour grapes’ about losing. Cooper Flagg is a great talent and will likely be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but most Kentucky fans would say they would much rather have the win than the marketing.

Futhermore, Kentucky and its ‘brand’ has raised the level of multiple players and coaches, and will continue to do so. A deeper impact than Cooper Flagg will have on Duke in just one season.

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