Oscar Tshiebwe named unanimous AP preseason All-American

Oscar Tshiebwe was the unanimous National Player of the Year in 2021-22, and he’ll start the 2022-23 season with another unanimous honor.

On Monday afternoon, the Associated Press unveiled its five-man preseason All-American team for the upcoming college basketball season. Tshiebwe cracked the list and was one of just two players to make the roster unanimously, joining Gonzaga’s Drew Timme. A panel of 59 media members voted on the All-American team, the same panel that will vote on the weekly AP Top 25.

BREAKING: Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky and Gonzaga's Drew Timme are unanimous selections to The Associated Press preseason All-America team. For the full team: https://t.co/kp3ujfwpIG pic.twitter.com/Z8QlJgmwqI

— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) October 24, 2022

Along with Tshiebwe and Timme, Houston G Marcus Sasser, Indiana F Trayce Jackson-Davis, and North Carolina F Armando Bacot all made the All-American team. Tshiebwe is just the ninth AP national player of the year to return for another season and the first since Tyler Hansbrough in 2009. No one has repeated as NPOY since Ralph Sampson three-peated with Virginia from 1981-83.

Tshiebwe was also named a preseason All-American by CBS Sports and the preseason SEC Player of the Year.

The Kentucky big man has been dealing with an injury for the last few weeks, which required a minor knee procedure earlier in the month. Tshiebwe sat out Kentucky’s Blue-White Game over the weekend and didn’t participate in Big Blue Madness the week prior, but he’s expected to suit up for the Wildcats’ season opener on Nov. 7 against Howard. UK will need a fully healthy Tshiebwe if chasing a national title is the ultimate goal.

2022-23 AP preseason All-Americans

• F Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) 17.4 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 60.6 FG% – unanimous selection
• F Drew Timme (Gonzaga) 18.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 58.6 FG% – unanimous selection
• F Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) 18.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 58.9 FG%
• G Marcus Sasser (Houston) 17.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, 2.8 RPG
• F Armando Bacot (North Carolina)16.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG