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Kentucky basketball: Rebounding could get Oscar Tshiebwe on an NBA roster

By Mat Mlodzinski

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 08: Johnny Davis #1 of Washington Wizards dribbles past Oscar Tshiebwe #44 of Indiana Pacers during the first quarter of a 2023 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 08: Johnny Davis #1 of Washington Wizards dribbles past Oscar Tshiebwe #44 of Indiana Pacers during the first quarter of a 2023 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) /
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Through three NBA Summer League games, former Kentucky basketball big man Oscar Tshiebwe has been a force on the boards.

Tshiebwe went undrafted, and maybe that put a chip on his shoulder because he’s been a menace rebounding the basketball in the Summer League.

It may be a small sample size, but Tshiebwe is averaging 7.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game. I’m not very good at math, but that’s about one rebound every 90 seconds that he’s on the court. If Oscar Tshiebwe played 36 minutes a game, that means he’d average about 21 rebounds per game at that rate.

That’s pretty good.

Tshiebwe’s best effort came on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he grabbed 11 boards to lead all players. He did that in only 16:08 of game time, also going 3-for-3 from the field for 6 points.

Against the Orlando Magic, Tshiebwe had a similar statline, playing 12 minutes, and going 3-for-3 for 8 points and 8 rebounds.

In his first game against the Washington Wizards, Oscar Tshiebwe only saw 8 minutes of court action, scoring 5 points and grabbing a pair of rebounds.

Probably the most exciting part about Tshiebwe’s Summer League has been his increase in minutes. Of course, rebounding the basketball is considered dirty work in the NBA, and when you do it as well as Big O, you’re going to see your minutes take off.

Tshiebwe and Indiana have one final Summer League game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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