Oscar Tshiebwe's National Player of the Year campaign is off and running

Oscar Tshiebwe is hellbent on breaking every rebounding record (Kentucky or NCAA, it doesn’t matter to him) that has ever existed. His initial two games in a Wildcat uniform saw him record 20 rebounds in both, the first coming against Duke. Since then, he’s built his rebounding average up to 15.5. For reference, no Division I player has finished with at least 15 boards per game since 1980; 41 years ago.

Through 11 games this season, Tshiebwe has hauled in double-digit rebounds in all but one outing, a road loss to Notre Dame. The 6-foot-9 center finished with just seven boards that night in South Bend, but poured in a career-high 25 points as he played his best offensive game of the season. As elite as his rebounding is, he’s been anything but a one-dimensional talent.

After abusing Western Kentucky on Wednesday night to the tune of 28 rebounds, a new Rupp Arena record and the most by a Kentucky player since 1976, Tshiebwe still isn’t satisfied. 28 rebounds in a modern basketball game is an insane number, but how cool would 30 be? What about 32 or even 34–the all-time UK record set back in 1955 by Bob Burrow?

“I think I can go for that one night,” Tshiebwe said of tying the Kentucky single-game rebounding record. “I hope Coach (John) Cal(ipari) don’t take me out, I hope he don’t. Because tonight if I could’ve finished the five minutes left, I think I could go for 34. That could be good.”

Tshiebwe played 35 minutes in the 95-60 win over the Hilltoppers, most of them coming against WKU’s impressive 7-foot-5 big man Jamarion Sharp, who leads the country in blocked shots and had seven rejections before leaving in the second half with an injury.

Give Tshiebwe the full 40 minutes and 34 rebounds feels like more of an inevitability than a possibility.

But let’s put the historic rebounding aside for a second. Tshiebwe’s campaign for National Player of the Year is officially off and running. It started at the season-opener against Duke, but talk slowed down as a string of bad opponents flowed in and out of Rupp Arena. It was actually the loss to Notre Dame where it picked up steam again. Now, Tshiebwe should be considered one of the early frontrunners.

Over at KenPom, the 2022 Player of the Year Standings currently have Tshiebwe sitting at No. 2 behind Ohio State’s EJ Liddell (a head-to-head matchup we were robbed of thanks to COVID-19). Liddell has a decent lead at the moment, but there is plenty of season left. Kentucky has just one Naismith National Player of the Year winner in the award’s over 70-year existence: Anthony Davis in 2012. We’re looking at rare company here.

Tshiebwe has said previously that’s how he wants to be remembered at UK; mentioned in the same breath as an all-time great like Davis. His infectious smile and soothing voice have already made him a fan favorite. Averaging 16.1 points and 15.5 rebounds through 11 games (on 64.9 percent shooting, mind you) are making him an all-time great.

If he can maintain those numbers throughout the Southeastern Conference schedule, denying him NPOY would be require something unique from someone else. Kentucky fans can call him a Machine or a Beast all they want, but they would all rather call him the best player in college basketball.