Oscar Tshiebwe wins Wooden Award, becomes UK’s first unanimous Player of the Year ever

Yes, you read that correctly.

In 119 seasons of Kentucky Wildcats Men’s basketball, Oscar Tshiebwe became the first unanimous Player of the Year in program history after winning the John R. Wooden Award on Tuesday.

Tshiebwe’s season was not just one of the best individual seasons in Kentucky basketball history, but also college basketball history, I mean just take a look at all the major honors that he has hauled in.

• John R. Wooden Award
• Naismith Player of the Year
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award
• USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy
• Associated Press Player of the Year
• NABC National Player of the Year
• NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year
• NCAA Consensus All-America First Team
• Wooden Award All-America Team
• USBWA First-Team All-America
• NABC First-Team All-America
• Associated Press First-Team All-America
• Sporting News First-Team All-America
• Wooden Award All-America Team
• 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
• CBS Sports National Player of the Year
• 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

Tshiebwe averaged a double-double with 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game, and was a force to be reckoned with. John Calipari was quoted saying what Tshiebwe had done “hasn’t been done in 42 years”, and that's true, as he rewrote the Kentucky and NCAA record books, especially in rebounding.

• Recorded 28 double-doubles, the most in Kentucky history.
• Finished 3rd in rebounds in a single season with 515. Only behind Bill Spivey (1950-51) and Cliff Hagan (1951-52).
• Recorded 20 rebounds against Duke, the most for a Kentucky debut.
• Recorded 28 rebounds against Western Kentucky, 6th in Kentucky single-game history, and the most since 1976.
• Only the second player to average 15 or more rebounds since 1980, and the first player from a Power Five school since 1968.

In one season, showered with accolades, Oscar Tshiebwe has solidified himself as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Kentucky uniform. Unlike most successful Calipari players, there are rumors that Tshiebwe could return for a senior season if the powers that be can clear up his NIL situation.

Whether or not the Big Blue Nation will have the opportunity to see Tshiebwe don the Kentucky blue again, I know we all enjoyed watching Big O dominate this past season and hope for the best for the young man and his future.

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