Oscar Tshiebwe wins Naismith Trophy

Kentucky+Wildcats+forward+Oscar+Tshiebwe+%2834%29+celebrates+during+a+run+by+his+team+during+the+UK+vs.+Vanderbilt+SEC+Tournament+quarterfinals+mens+basketball+game+on+Friday%2C+March+11%2C+2022%2C+at+Amalie+Arena+in+Tampa%2C+Florida.+UK+won+77-71.+Photo+by+Michael+Clubb+%7C+Staff

Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe (34) celebrates during a run by his team during the UK vs. Vanderbilt SEC Tournament quarterfinals mens basketball game on Friday, March 11, 2022, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. UK won 77-71. Photo by Michael Clubb | Staff

Hunter Shelton

Oscar Tshiebwe was awarded the Naismith Trophy on Sunday in New Orleans, honoring the big man as the nation’s best player via the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

Tshiebwe is the second player in program history to achieve the honor, joining Anthony Davis, who won the award in 2012. 

The Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo native has now won five of the six awards that are NCAA-recognized electors for national player of the year. The Wooden Award winner is set to be announced on Tuesday, April 5, as Tshiebwe looks to become the first player in UK history to be named a unanimous decision for player of the year. 

With just one award left to hand out, the West Virginia transfer’s long list of honors is as follows, per UK Athletics: 

  • 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