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

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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.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky’s Own Malachi Moreno Shows Out In Chris Brickley Invitational

Kentucky pledge and native Malachi Moreno nearly tallied a double-double in the Chris Brickley Invitational.

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Malachi Moreno shows out in Brickley Invitational.
UK Athletics

Held in Chicago, the Chris Brinkley Invitational is a gathering of young superstars under the wing of famous basketball trainer Chris Brickley. This year, Kentucky commit Malachi Moreno was invited to participate in the event, allowing his hard work to pay off in direct competition with his peers.

Moreno, who will join a consensus top 10/15 (at least) Kentucky roster this fall, stood tall at the invitational this past Saturday, nearly logging a double-double with 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and one block.

The big man would have his way in the paint, notching multiple highlight worthy dunks as well as a full-court pass, boasting his playmaking capability.

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Slotted at 25th in ESPN’s freshman recruiting rankings, Moreno became Kentucky’s only McDonald’s All-American earlier this year, and has since turned heads with not only his play on the court, but his treatment of people and the program off it.

He’s been spotted all throughout Lexington, including at Rupp, taking pictures with fans and talking titles in-between. Hailing from Georgetown, KY, Moreno’s hometown ambitions make him a likely fan favorite, and with four years of college basketball ahead of him, his journey is excitedly only getting started.

While Moreno’s role on next year’s roster has yet to take complete shape, his performance at the Brickley invitational is a good indicator of a high ceiling; and besides, it doesn’t hurt to keep it in-house once in a while. The sun shines bright when a Kentucky kid stays home.

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Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Is “All In” On NBA Draft Process

While Otega Oweh is “all in” on the NBA Draft process, his ultimate fate at Kentucky still hangs in the balance.

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Otega Oweh is "all in" on the NBA Draft.
Chet White | UK Athletics

While Kentucky’s incoming roster of freshman, transfers, and returners may seem complete to many, a once crucial piece has been taken for granted by folks eager to get the season started: Otega Oweh.

One of the primary driver’s of much of last year’s success, Oweh found his footing as a source of energy for his teammates, and found the ball in his hands more often than not when the team desperately needed a bucket.

Now, he’s testing the NBA Draft waters, and, according to Oweh himself, he’s “all in.”

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A Pro Goal

“I have one more year of eligibility, but my goal is to play in the NBA,” he said. “So I’m not doing this process one foot in, one foot out.”

This potentially worrying tidbit came out of a segment with the Portland Trail Blazers media following a session with the team. Oweh was also asked about the rumor that he’d return to Kentucky if he wasn’t granted a first round selection in the draft, to which he said, “I wouldn’t say it’s completely false.”

“I believe I’m a first round guy, so I’m just gonna go through all these workouts, give it my all, then when it’s all said and done, I’ll see where I’m at and I’ll make that decision.”

“That decision” will mean a lot for Kentucky’s incoming roster whichever way it goes. If Oweh returns, the team will likely be in final, or near-final, form; barring any crazy shake-ups, we’d be looking at a finalized roster and rotation sooner rather than later.

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If he doesn’t? Well, it’d be hard to imagine that the team would be left as-is – a late foray into the transfer portal on Mark Pope’s part would almost be imminent. And he couldn’t land just any player; he’d be replacing a potential SEC player of the year favorite, given a return. The stakes are at an all-time high.

It doesn’t help that the wait isn’t close to being over, either. Oweh has until June 15 to make his final decision, assuming he doesn’t sign an agent before then. With the BBN at his back, Kentucky’s would-be senior star is facing down what may be the most important decision of his career thus far… and all fans can do in the meantime is hurry up and wait.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Commit Jasper Johnson Excels at Iverson Classic

Jasper Johnson showed out at the Iverson Classic, shining light on his own potential and bringing more excitement to the ‘Cats incoming class.

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Chet White | UK Athletics

Amidst the excitement of Kentucky’s exceptional incoming transfer class, many have forgotten about (arguably) Mark Pope’s most exciting freshman: Jasper Johnson.

While Johnson, ranked 18th among freshman by ESPN, is a Kentucky kid at heart, his recruitment was easily the most widespread and heavily contested of any of the first-year Wildcats on the 2025-26 team. For a while, he was heavily favored to land with Nate Oats in Alabama, before the Pope regime swooped in behind the scenes and, clearly, pulled every necessary string. He officially announced his commitment to the ‘Cats in September of last year.

Now, Johnson is traveling across the country for various all-star-level competitions leading up to his first year of collegiate play. The latest in that string came in the form of the Iverson Classic, put on and named by the NBA legend Allen Iverson – as he has been just about everywhere else, the Kentucky commit made a real splash.

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Walking Highlight Reel

In the game, which took place last weekend, Johnson tallied 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists, stuffing the stat sheet in an all-around performance with highlights across the board. In addition to a couple of effortless slams and automatic triples, a video of Iverson and Johnson meeting at mid-court prior to the match took off across Overtime Elite’s social media, followed by a portion of his tape.

Johnson is only just scratching the surface of his ability as a player and, given the high likelihood that he’ll come off the bench during his first season in Lexington, it only speaks to the team’s incredible depth and high ceiling.

However and whenever he plays, the freshman guard will surely make an immediate impact. With November and the beginning of the season still six months down the line, however, ‘Cats fans will have to rely on videos like the one above to hold them over before they get to see their own battling for the blue and white in Rupp Arena.

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