INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 26.
As the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, Tshiebwe was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week. Once again, the USBWA will select a Division I men's National Player of the Week each Tuesday throughout the season. The USBWA has named Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week since the 2009-10 season.
Tshiebwe, last season’s Oscar Robertson Trophy winner, is the first player from the SEC to earn the weekly award this season. The 6-9, 260-pound senior from Lubumbashi, D.R. of the Congo, shot 87.0 percent from the field (making 20 of 23) for the week while averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in wins at Florida and at home against Auburn. Tshiebwe scored a game-high 25 points to go with four boards and three assists against Florida before totaling a game-high 22 points and 17 boards with two steals against the Tigers.
Tshiebwe’s name is already laced throughout the Kentucky record book. He added another line last Wednesday against Florida, making 12 of his 13 field goal attempts for a 92.3 field goal percentage that was the fourth-highest in a single game in Kentucky history (with a minimum of eight attempts) but the top accuracy with that many attempts (13).
The 25-point game at Florida was Tshiebwe’s third this season scoring at least 25 points and the 10th of his career. He also became the 61st player in program history to amass 1,000 career points. His 22-17 totals against Auburn marked his 16th double-double of the season and give him 44 in 61 career games at UK, currently third on the program’s career double-doubles list. It was his fifth 20-15 game of the year and the 12th at Kentucky.
For the season, Tshiebwe is averaging 16.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per contest. He’s the only player in the country averaging at least 15.0 points, at least 12.0 rebounds, at least 1.5 steals and at least 1.0 blocks per game.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2023 Men's Final Four in Houston with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.