As we all know, Oscar “Big O” Tshiebwe has recently entered his name in the NBA Draft, but will keep open the possibility of returning to WVU. A lot of people have mixed emotions about this. As for me, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Even if he does come back, he will get much needed feedback from top scouts on what he needs to work on.
I hope he decides to come back to WVU, not only because it will benefit the team but also because it will benefit him and his future. Oscar’s athleticism is out of this world, but what he lacks is basketball knowledge, which is not his fault since he has only played the sport for 6 years. One or two more years learning from future Hall of Famer Bob Huggins will benefit him greatly.
If Oscar does go to the NBA, he can make an impact because of his effort and his rebounding. What I noticed during the season is that sometimes he would get confused on help defense or when to come up if his player is setting a screen As the season went on, he started to show incredible improvement on this. It’s only a matter of time until he masters it.
On the offensive side, once he gets his post moves down, he will be unstoppable. At times, he rushed his shot instead of getting it turning and squaring up the defender. With his athleticism he could do a quick jab step then lay it in, or even attract other defenders and kick it out to an open player. Again, things like that come with experience.
With that being said, I still do not think him going to the NBA is bad for him. Like I said before, his athleticism and effort makes up for his experience and knowledge. I do think if he goes to the NBA now it will take him a couple of years to really be a force, but I can see him being a Dennis Rodman-type player. Tshiebwe could potentially be an All Star in 5 years, especially if he can get with a team like the Pelicans who love to push the ball up the floor. On a team like this, he will be almost impossible to stop.
If Big O stays and gets his half-court offense down he will be one of the top post players in the nation. Regardless of whether he stays or goes, I will still love and appreciate everything he has done for the old Gold and Blue. The sky is truly the limit for him.
NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis once said, “Nobody else can give you effort, effort is what is inside.” To me, that is a perfect quote for the Big O.
