Oscar Tshiebwe addresses decision to return to Kentucky, head to NBA

Kentucky Wildcats center Oscar Tshiebwe played his heart out on Thursday night, but in the end, he suffered a historic, heartbreaking loss, as the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats — one of the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament — were eliminated in the first round by the No. 15 Saint Peters Peacocks in overtime.

Tshiebwe, who was visibly emotional on the side of the court as soon as the game’s final whistle blew, was quickly escorted to the media room, where he had to face questions about his future — despite having not yet had time to process the loss. Unsurprisingly, the 6-foot-9, 255-pound native of Lubumbashi, Congo, was asked whether he’s decided on next season: will he declare for the 2022 NBA Draft or return to Kentucky?

It appears that Tshiebwe is not ready to discuss his future and has not made a decision, as he did not provide a clear-cut answer.

Oscar Tshiebwe says he has not made a decision on whether or not he'll return for another season.

— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) March 18, 2022

Fresh off winning the SEC Player of the Year award, Tshiebwe would garner considerable interest in the 2022 NBA Draft after a tremendous breakout campaign for Kentucky. Tshiebwe in 2022 averaged 17.0 points, 15.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest, while holding a 60.2 percent field-goal percentage, and he tallied 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per contest. Moreover, Tshiebwe stuffed the stat sheet in some of Kentucky’s biggest games, and Thursday’s loss was no different.

Though the Wildcats fell in a shocking upset by an 85-79 final, Tshiebwe was by far and away the Wildcats’ most consistent player on both ends. He poured in 30 points on 11-of-16 from the field, including an 8-of-12 effort from the free-throw line, while grabbing 16 rebounds (six offensive boards), along with two assists, two steals and two blocks.

Tshiebwe, who prepped at Kennedy Catholic High School in Pennsylvania, was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He first committed to West Virginia, and he played for two seasons under Bob Huggins, with his most impactful performance coming in his freshman year. In the 2019-20 season, Tshiebwe played 23.3 minutes per contest, scoring 11.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest.

“It’s sad because I’ve been wanting this moment for a long time,” Tshiebwe said, via Tyler Thompson. “I even told my teammates, this is not going to be easy for us. If we’re not willing to fight, any team in March Madness — they make it that for a reason. I did the best I could. It just happens.”