On Wednesday, Oscar Tshiebwe announced a return to Kentucky on SportsCenter. Making for the first time in the Calipari era that the team’s best player has returned, giving the Big Blue Nation good reason to be excited next season.
On Friday, the unanimous Player of the Year held a press conference to talk about his decision and
Let’s take a look at what he had to say.
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What sort of feedback did you get from NBA people?
“The feedback I got from the NBA was like, ‘Oscar if you can expand your game from outside, make one or two three-pointers per game, attack the rim, make your passes, get better dribbling, you’ll be good and in good position next year.”
On if John Calipari will let him shoot threes, Tshiebwe said, “He told me he will let me shoot threes as long as I keep making them”. He also noted that he has already begun working on his outside shot in workouts and pickup games.
Tshiebwe doesn’t believe the challenge is too great to add a perimeter game to his already elite inside game, saying, “I don’t think it’s going to be bad, because I’m still going to do exactly what I do, but sometimes just go out there [perimter], especially when coaches play two bigs.”
Joining the team in early 2021, Tshiebwe worked out for 8 months straight and became the National Player of the Year. Tshiebwe believes by starting to put in the work now, his game can be on a”different level” come November.
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Now that people know what you’re capable of, what are the expectations for you coming back?
Prior to the season, Tshiebwe set a lofty goal of averaging 20+ rebounds per game. People didn’t take it too seriously, not knowing what to expect from the West Virginia transfer.
While he didn’t average 20, Tshiebwe averaged 15.2 rebounds per game, becoming just the second player to do so since 1980 en route to becoming the unanimous Player of the Year.
Now knowing what “Big O” is capable of, expectations will be high, but he is not worried saying by adding new facets to his game, “I’m going to surprise a lot of people. Be like, wow, Oscar is just a good basketball player.”
As the National Player of the Year, Tshiebwe will have a target on his back for opposing teams, but he embraces it and says, “I like when I am target”.
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Kentucky is not Losing to Saint Peter’s again
Upon his return, Tshiebwe said he told his teammates, “Let’s Go Beat Saint Peter’s, we cannot let Saint Peter’s beat us again.”
Even noting that the loss gave him some motivation for a return saying, “I said this was most disrespectful thing, I cannot end my college career losing to Saint Peter’s. So I say I gotta come back… we gotta run it back.”
Interestingly Tshiebwe talked about some of the players not being ready for the NCAA Tournament, “Some of my teammates were not ready, but I was ready” and with a 30-point and 16-rebound performance against Saint Peter’s that was very noticeable.
Tshiebwe ensures that will not be the case again, “I tell coach, ‘If I see somebody not ready, I’m gonna take your place. I’m just gonna sub him.’ I’ll be the coach for a minute’”.
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Do you feel confident that your NIL situation will get worked out?
Tshiebwe has never been shy about sharing his goal of using basketball to help provide for his family, with his student visa status causing limitations to his NIL earning potential, many thought that would push him to the NBA.
While nothing has been made official or been announced NIL wise, Tshiebwe did say he was confident, saying, “I feel confident. I’m a man of God, I trust what God is telling me. I know it is kind of tricky being an international student, but I believe it’s going to work out. God is going to open a way for me.”
When asked about the reported $2 million Tshiebwe said, “I don’t know about that, but that’s good money right there,” causing the whole room to laugh.
Tshiebwe talked about wanting to make an impact and help other international players be able to benefit from NIL, which is why he met with Kentucky senator, Mitch McConnell.
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On his decision to return
With his return, there is an assumption that the NIL situation has been worked out. However, Tshiebwe said that he didn’t make a decision based on NIL as it is a “distraction” but made his decision on what he heard from God.
On Friday, John Calipari said in a radio interview, “there were people in his [Tshiebwe] ear trying to get him to leave until the very end, up until he sat in that chair [on SportsCenter],” and even discussed that at one point, Tshiebwe recorded two videos for both a return and a departure to the NBA.
In this press conference, Thsiebwe echoed the same sentiment, saying, “there was like 50 and 50. People wanted me to leave. People wanted me to stay… ‘So who’s speaking the truth?’ I did not know. But I hear the voice of God and that was a true voice.
On his teammates testing the waters? (Keion Brooks Jr and Shaedon Sharpe)
Tshiebwe called Shaedon a “bucket” and said that he wants him back because it could be a “different level” of basketball.
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With that said, he understands that Brooks and Sharpe both have to receive the feedback and make the decisions themselves, but notes, “either way, we’re good.”
Tshiebwe has work to do off the court
On the court, Tshiebwe is one of the most dominant players in college basketball. Off the court, he is a tremendous ambassador for Jesus Christ. “Inspire people, bring people to Jesus, teach people about God”, Tshiebwe said of what God wants him to do.
Tshiebwe understands the impact he has on the community and wants to use that “not just for basketball but to go to places to teach people about God.”
Fan interaction while he was making his decision
Tshiebwe has gotten accustomed to the craziness of Kentucky fans within the state but was shocked as he traveled around the country to accept awards, and received a similar reaction.
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“I was in California, I thought like when I land in California I would be at peace, people don’t know me. As soon as I land in the airport everybody says ‘Oscar’ everywhere. I said wow’,” Tshiebwe said.
Tshiebwe has already become an all-time fan favorite in just one season, and with a second season, he could possibly cement his name in the Rupp Arena rafters.
“People are very excited and I am very excited to run it back this season.”
Tshiebwe repeated several times that next season is not about fun nor himself, “I win national Player of the Year, now it’s time to get the trophy [NCAA Championship] to put somewhere in the school”, even saying he is willing to travel with Calipari to help recruit.
Kentucky held its annual Pro Day on Tuesday, Oct. 6, where NBA scouts were able to watch the team go through individual drills and a live game-like scrimmage. There are plenty of takeaways that stood out during the two hour practice. Let’s dive into it:
1.) Franck Kepnang Shows Off in the Paint
The first thing that stood out was transfer big man Franck Kepnang, with the seven-foot big from Washington dominating in the paint. Starting with the individual drills, he showed his size and ability to get downhill off of a pick-and-roll.
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The bigs went through a finishing through contact drill, and the new Wildcat seemed unfazed by the pads being pounded against him. With Moreno and Kepnang running the paint together, it will make it very difficult for opposing teams to stop both of them.
2.) Ousmane N’Diaye Has High-Scoring Performance
Overseas big Ousmane N’Diaye was another standout in front of the NBA scouts. In the first six-minute “quarter”, N’Diaye led all scorers with eight points.
He showed off his ability to score at all three levels, hitting multiple threes and also demonstrating his ability to score in the paint. N’Diaye wasn’t playing the five spot, which really allowed his team to stretch the floor and help with spacing.
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With Moreno, Kepnang, N’Diaye and Reece Potter all standing at seven-feet tall, Mark Pope has the opportunity to run a four-big lineup all while each player hones a different skillset. Having this much size will pay dividends come time for conference play.
3. The Forwards Do a Little Bit of Everything
A few other players who performed well were Milan Momcilovic and Braydon Hawthorne. Momcilovic played very unselfish during the inter-squad scrimmage, looking to first get his teammates involved and not forcing his game whatsoever.
He did hit a nice step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second “quarter”, highlighting his 10-point performance. Hawthorne had some great looks from beyond the arc and did a phenomenal job getting his teammates open, driving and distributing the rock.
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He finished with six points and one assist.
Overall, the whole team appeared molded together and played as a unit rather than just isolation ball, which is a great sign in early October. There is no shortage of individual talent on this roster, and that was evident on Tuesday, with leaders and experience at every position.
The wait is almost over BBN. Kentucky will take the court in its first exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 16, when Little Rock comes into town. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and will air live on SEC Network+.
Kentucky still has room to add to both its roster and coaching staff, but Mark Pope appears comfortable with where things currently stand.
At Kentucky’s 2026 Media Day, Pope was asked whether the Wildcats plan to move forward with their current 14-man roster and if there was any update on a potential addition to his coaching staff.
His answer on both fronts was similar: Kentucky likes the group it has.
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“Our roster right now is what we’re expecting to go to battle with,” said Pope. “We’ll always be open to opportunities if they arise. Everything changes so fast, it’s pretty incredible, but I like our group.”
That leaves Kentucky with some flexibility as the season approaches, but no indication that another addition has to be made.
Mark Pope on the 15th roster spot and assistant coach vacancy:
"Our roster right now is what we are expecting to go to battle with, but we will be open to opportunities."
"I like our staff so much right now. There is a real synergy. There is the potential to grow the staff……— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) September 28, 2026
The Wildcats still have an open roster spot, but Pope’s comments suggest that the focus is less on filling it, and more on continuing to develop and build the group that is already in Lexington.
“Everything we’re doing right now is focused on growing this group the way we have and trying to build the best we can,” Pope added.
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He expressed similar confidence when discussing the coaching staff. While another addition remains possible, he emphasized how well the current staff has come together as a whole.
“I like our staff so much right now. There’s a real synergy with what we’re doing.”
Praising several additions to the program, specifically pointing out Mo Williams, Keegan Brown and Stephanie Campbell when discussing additions Kentucky has already made.
“It’s actually by far the best I’ve felt with how our staff is functioning together.”
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So, is Kentucky finished making moves? Not necessarily.
Pope made it clear that things can change quickly in the sport of college basketball, and that all operations will remain open if the right opportunity becomes available. For now, the Wildcats appear focused on continuing to build with the roster and staff already in place.
Through Mark Pope’s first two seasons with Kentucky, injuries haven’t just been here and there, they have cost both teams a deeper run in the postseason.
Now entering year three, the Wildcats once again have championship-level expectations and a deep roster, but the injury bug has already started to show itself.
BREAKING: Kentucky guard Jerone Morton has suffered a minor knee injury in practice.
Kentucky is yet to play an exhibition game, but Pope is already facing a familiar opponent, with a new injury suffered by guard Jerone Morton.
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After last season, Kentucky had its complete roster for only 14% of his games through Pope’s first two seasons, and only 9% against power-four opponents. Sure, the reports this summer confirm that the Wildcats will be healthy for the regular season, but knowing the statistics, members of the Big Blue Nation still worry when any sort of injury is announced.
Pope’s first Kentucky team was still able to make it to the Sweet 16, but rarely did he have the chance to coach the roster exactly the way it was constructed.
Injuries to Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson, Andrew Carr and Kerr Kriisa made it nearly impossible to see the team that Pope and staff had envisioned. However, when that squad was fully healthy, they were something special.
In the 2024 Champions Classic, Pope led his team to take down No. 6 Duke, who hosted No.1 overall pick and basketball phenom Cooper Flagg. The Wildcats were able to go deep into their rotation, play with pace, and rely on different players throughout the night.
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As the season progressed, however, Pope rarely had that luxury. BBN will likely speculate for years to come on how far in the tournament that 2024 team could’ve made it had they stayed healthy.
Year two brought even worse injury luck. Jaland Lowe suffered a shoulder injury during the Blue-White scrimmage that lingered throughout the season and eventually required season-ending surgery for one. Jayden Quaintance entered the year still recovering from a torn ACL, missing Kentucky’s first 11 games and playing just four times before swelling in the knee shut him down again.
Just as the Cats were starting to find some stability in their roster, Kam Williams would go down, suffering a broken foot during the Jan. 21 win over Texas. He underwent surgery shortly after, with the injury costing him the final 12 games of the season.
Williams’s absence was especially damaging because Kentucky was already without Lowe and Quaintance, leaving Pope without three players who had been expected to play major roles.
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For a roster that had been constructed around depth and versatility, Pope spent much of the season trying to replace pieces that were never supposed to be missing in the first place.
Kentucky is already dealing with several bumps in the road: Morton is recovering from a knee injury, while Trent Noah, Milan Momcilovic, Franck Kepnang and Williams have all dealt with health concerns during the offseason.
The good news for fans is that, unlike last season, Pope expects the roster to be close to full strength by the start of regular-season play.
With another talented roster in place, staying healthy could be just as important as anything that the Wildcats can do on the court. If Kentucky can finally shake the injury bug, Pope may finally get the chance to see just how far one of his teams can go when it matters most.
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