Oscar Tshiebwe becomes first UK and SEC player to win NABC National Player of the Year

Kentucky Wildcats star Oscar Tshiebwe has won another major award.

Today, it was announced that Tshiebwe is the 2022 NABC National Player of the Year. He becomes the first UK player and the first player from the SEC to earn Player of the Year honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Tshiebwe was also named the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year.

“First of all, I want to thank God for everything that he has done for me and my family,” Tshiebwe said in a press release. “I want to also thank my coaches, the UK staff and most importantly my teammates for helping me to get to where I am today. I also want to thank the Big Blue Nation for your support. I’m very grateful for everything. God bless.”

Tshibwe led the Wildcats with a team-high 17.4 points and a nation-leading 15.1 rebounds per contest. He is the first Division I player who averaged at least 15.0 points and at least 15.0 rebounds per game since Drake’s Lewis Lloyd and Alcorn State’s Larry Smith each did during the 1979-80 season, and the first major-conference player who averaged at least 16.0 points and at least 15.0 rebounds for a season since Bill Walton at UCLA in 1972-73.

The 6-foot-9 Tshiebwe also becomes the first Wildcat to do it since Bob Burrow tallied 19.1 points and 17.7 rebounds per game in 1954-55.

“The things that he’s done haven’t been done for 50 years,” head coach Calipari said in a press release. “Let me say this again, the things that he’s done haven’t been done for 50 years. He plays his heart out and finds ways to impact every game. I’m proud of him, and it’s not only on the court. He’s so thankful and faith-based, and he’s a joy to coach.”

The NABC has honored the nation’s best player dating back to 1975 and has awarded a Big Man of the Year every season since 2000.

Here is a recap of all the awards Tshiebwe has taken some thus far:

• NABC National Player of the Year
• NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year
• NCAA Consensus All-America First Team
• USBWA First-Team All-America
• NABC First-Team All-America
• Associated Press First-Team All-America
• Sporting News First-Team All-America
• NABC All-District 20 First Team
• Southeastern Conference Player of the Year (coaches/media)
• All-SEC First Team (coaches/media)
• All-SEC Defensive Team (coaches)
• USBWA District IV Player of the Year
• USBWA All-District IV team
• USA Today National Player of the Year
• USA Today First-Team All-American
• The Athletic’s National Player of the Year
• Sports Illustrated First-Team All-American
• The Field of 68 National Player of the Year
• The Field of 68 First-Team All-America
• College Hoops Today National Player of the Year
• USA Today SEC Player of the Year
• USA Today First-Team All-SEC unanimous selection