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.
This spring, the NCAA passed a rule that allows men’s and women’s college basketball programs to participate in an international summer trip every year, rather than just one every four years.
These trips are important as they most importantly allow teams to have extra practice time, but they also allow teams to face true competition and aid in team bonding. For the fans, the trips allow the unique experience to travel with the team or watch them on TV, building excitement for the upcoming season.
In his first press conference of the summer, Mark Pope talked about his hope for an additional rule change to summer trips, allowing them to be done in the states.
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“There is one of the things that we’re excited about, potentially coming down the pipeline that we’ve been pushing for, is now we’re allowed to take international trips every single year. We’d like to actually make that something that could be done domestically,” Pope said on Friday
Pope argues that this is a way to bring more attention to college basketball in the summer.
“We’re always trying to take up windows of time with college basketball, in terms of the way we are in the public sphere, and I hope that that change goes through,” he said. “The opportunities that we’re exploring right now with that would be game-changing. I’m hopeful.”
There is also a financial aspect to this.
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Foreign trips cost money for the program and the fans. Typically, a program works with the resort or tour operator at a discounted rate, as they aim to make more money from fans’ travel. Yet, there is still a cost, and in a college landscape where money is at a premium and needed to be competitive, every dollar counts. Cost was even something mentioned when Mark Pope was asked about why Kentucky did not take a summer trip this offseason.
Whereas, if a summer trip can be done domestically, that first reduces the cost for the program, and second, eases the barrier of entry for fans.
Let’s say Kentucky is able to organize or join a multi-team event in Indianapolis. This is close enough for many Kentucky fans to travel at a lower cost than, let’s say, the Bahamas, increasing ticket sales. There is also potential for TV deals. In short, increased revenue and reduced costs.
At the end of the day, Pope is just asking for more freedom for summer trips. In turn, that would mean more accessible summer college basketball.
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“If you talk to the guys on our team, they would like more time on the court together and with us. They like more opportunities to play more games,” Pope said. “Our staff feels the same way. I think that’s probably a common theme throughout college basketball. So the more freedom we have to actually get work done, I think the better.”
On Monday, July 20, La Familia traveled to Louisville, KY to take on The Ville in the historic Freedom Hall. With a 1-0 series lead, the Kentucky alumni had a game to give before returning home. Unfortunately for them, they fell by a score of 82-62 in a dominant showing from the Cardinals.
Heading into this matchup, there was yet again some drama with the injury report, as Willie Cauley-Stein was listed as questionable, Marcus Lee was listed as out and Archie Goodwin was marked to make his debut on Monday for the Wildcats.
However, as the day went on, TBT officially announced that Cauley-Stein will play but that Goodwin will not, sending Big Blue Nation into another frenzy of question marks. Nonetheless, no matter if it’s a Marquette alum balling out for you or if it’s the Wildcats’ own, the show must go on.
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I’m here inside of Freedom Hall for La Familia’s matchup with The Ville tonight!
If Kentucky wins, the will advance in the TBT tournament. If they lose, Louisville will travel back to Lexington for game three on Wednesday, July 22.
The majority of the first quarter showed a competitive ballgame, with La Familia holding an 11-9 lead at the media break. James Mainor-Bell banged in two threes to start the game, with Andrew Harrison joining in on the three party after an ankle breaker. The Ville was doing their best to play bully ball with Montrezl Harrell, but the Wildcats held him to only two points in his first quarter of action.
Harrell scored five straight for the Cardinals to start the second quarter, giving them their first lead of the game at the seven-minute mark. From then on, it would be complete and utter domination from the star forward, dropping 16 points in the quarter alone on perfect shooting.
Things are getting chippy in Freedom Hall as La Familia falls behind The Ville.
Harrison, Chris Coffey and others did their best to stop the bleeding, but words cannot describe how quickly The Ville took control and did whatever they wanted on the court. La Familia only shot 8/30 from the field in the first half and nothing could go their way.
At the break, the alumni from the bluegrass trailed 36-22.
From poster dunks, lobs and threes, there was no idea of a comeback in any Kentucky fans’ heart, with The Ville having fun while they could in front of their fanbase.
Harrison and Coffey would combined for 34 points, but in response, Harrell finished the night with 35 points and eight rebounds to tie up the three-game series.
Up next, La Familia will host The Ville on Wednesday, July 22 for the third and final game of the series. The winner will take home the bragging rights and send their in-state rival on a one-way exit out of the TBT tournament. Tip is set for 6:00 p.m. ET and will air live on FS1.
*UPDATE (1:10 p.m. ET): Willie Cauley-Stein is ACTIVE but Archie Goodwin has been downgraded to UNACTIVE per TBT Stats & Info. A reason has not been revealed publicly.
There’s nothing like some evening basketball in the middle of the summer, and that’s exactly what we’re getting later tonight with La Familia’s matchup with The Ville. Tipoff for game two is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET inside of Freedom Hall, with the Kentucky alumni looking to take care of business on the road.
Doing so, will be difficult. We all saw what playing in enemy territory can do to a team – Louisville experienced it on Saturday and went down by as much as 15 points in the third quarter. Given the away atmosphere, the desperation from the Cardinals and unfortunately, some injury news, we’re in for an interesting one.
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Game two’s official injury report has Marcus Lee, who missed game one with the team, listed as OUT for tonight’s matchup. He was originally believed to make his debut on Monday, but it seems it may be the next series where Lee will make an appearance. Willie Cauley-Stein, after tweaking his ankle in La Familia’s first game, is listed as questionable, making Kentucky’s size a thing to question.
Don’t worry though Big Blue Nation, because KY Insider brings good news with the bad. Archie Goodwin, who was a major part of the team’s scoring last summer, will be making his debut on July 20. Sources confirmed that he was attending a wedding on Saturday and couldn’t make the season opener.
The Ville will also be without two key players who missed game one, Ray Spalding and Angel Nunez. The full injury report can be seen below.
