What does Oscar Tshiebwe’s commitment to Kentucky mean?

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(Photo by Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)

Kentucky secured a pledge from the best transfer prospect available in the country, as West Virginia center Oscar Tshiebwe announced he would play for John Calipari at Lexington for the 2021-22 season.

Tshiebwe, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound center from Congo, chose the Wildcats over offers and interests from Illinois, North Carolina State, Miami (FL) and Tennessee, among others.

“I am grateful for the time I spent in West Virginia and the lessons I learned,” Tshiebwe wrote on his social media pages. “I have spent a lot of time praying to God to help me make the best decision for my future. I am excited about this new chapter in my life. I will continue my career at the University of Kentucky. “

But what does the most recent addition of Wildcat mean to the program?

Immediate practice player

Before worrying about Tshiebwe can and will for the team next year, it’s important to note that the talented transfer plans to sign up for the second half and will travel to Lexington immediately. While not eligible to play for the remainder of the 2020-2021 season, however, he will be allowed to train with the team and immediately work with the team’s strength and conditioning program.

This means the likes of Olivier Sarr, Keion Brooks Jr., Isaiah Jackson, Lance Ware, and Jacob Toppin will be able to take on Tshiebwe – an absolute one-man tank – every day in practice, helping the current group prepare for being. strong, physical players in the front zone that the team will continue to see throughout the conference.

Kentucky already have plenty of fellows – 11 now with Brooks back in the rotation – but the addition of Tshiebwe will ensure Calipari no longer has to worry about having enough body to mingle in training. Now he has extras.

Junkyard dog in the paint

When it comes to Tshiebwe’s presence on the pitch once he’s declared eligible in 2021-22, what Kentucky gets is pretty clear: a solid, physical workhorse with an endless engine.

Standing 6ft 9in, 260lb with a 7ft 5in wingspan, Tshiebwe already has a body ready for the NBA. He’s an anchor in the front area, both literally and figuratively. But the reason there was so much excitement about the former five-star prospect out of high school was that he simply passed everyone else on the floor, and it remained his staple in his time in. West Virginia. Whether it’s diving for loose balls, battling for tough rebounds, or getting ahead of the competition on quick breaks, Tshiebwe is second to none.

This quote from the old mountaineering center says it all:

“I am a machine,” Tshiebwe said in West Virginia The life of a mountaineer video series. “The way I play, most of the people we play against, ask me the same question during games. “Bro, how don’t you get tired?” I say, “I’m tired, but I don’t stop when I’m tired. I stop when I’m done.

Tshiebwe remains a bit raw on the offensive end – he’s relatively new to the sport – but he makes up for that by doing the dirty work on both sides of the floor. There’s a reason he’s almost averaged a double-double – 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game – as a rookie, after all.

The zone before next year could be finished

Just like that, Kentucky’s frontcourt for next season looks pretty busy.

We’re not sure what will happen with Keion Brooks Jr. in terms of the NBA Draft decision, and Olivier Sarr (graduating) and Isaiah Jackson (NBA Draft) could both leave the program, but we Expects Jacob Toppin and Lance Ware to return next season and Kentucky has already signed five-star center Daimion Collins and four-star forward Bryce Hopkins in the class of 2021.

With Tshiebwe officially added to the photo, space is already limited in the UK’s front area, and that’s a good thing. There is no glaring hole at the bottom as it stands with the probable five pieces of Tshiebwe, Toppin, Ware, Collins and Hopkins, and if Brooks or Jackson come back the sky is the lower limit.

It’s not often that you can consolidate a prominent front area a year in advance, but Calipari did just that by adding Tshiebwe to the mix.

Someone who wants to be in Kentucky

Beyond what he brings to the table as a player, Tshiebwe has been someone who has loved Kentucky’s basketball program since he was in high school. As a rookie, Tshiebwe had a deep connection to the West Virginia program, which gave him a virtual certainty that he would end up in Morgantown no matter who visited.

But make no mistake, Tshiebwe liked what Calipari and the UK program had to offer the first time around.

“It was a tough decision because I love Kentucky and I love Coach Calipari,” Tshiebwe told KSR at the McDonald’s All-American Game in 2019. “But I ended up in West Virginia because it’s a school I thought about (growing up). I love the way they play, I love the coach, I love the program. That’s why I ended up going there.

If he hadn’t signed with the Mountaineers, Tshiebwe told KSR he was heading to Lexington.

“Coach Calipari was telling me, ‘I want to train you! Come play for me! I will train you and help you become a great player. I will help you make your dreams come true. … Kentucky was second.

Two years later, Tshiebwe is finally a Kentucky wildcat.



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