Oscar Tshiebwe anticipates taking part in Kentucky’s season opener

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky ahead and consensus nationwide participant of the 12 months Oscar Tshiebwe mentioned Tuesday he “completely” anticipates being prepared for the No. 4 Wildcats’ season opener after having a process on his proper knee earlier this month.

The 6-foot-9 senior spoke publicly for the primary time since Wildcats coach John Calipari introduced on social media that the participant would have a “minor” process on the knee to “clear some issues up.”

Tshiebwe entered the apply court docket for media day with out crutches however wore a versatile brace on the knee over colourful compression tights.

As standard, Tshiebwe was upbeat and optimistic.

“To be trustworthy, I do not assume I’ll miss video games aside from exhibition video games as a result of it is probably not crucial that I get this carried out,” he mentioned.

The Related Press preseason All-America choice averaged 17.4 factors and a nation-leading 15.1 rebounds per recreation final season on the way in which to being named the AP’s Participant of the 12 months and sweeping the opposite 5 nationwide awards as school basketball’s greatest participant. The native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo mentioned he returned for one more season to assist Kentucky win the nationwide championship and broaden his recreation towards boosting his inventory for subsequent 12 months’s NBA draft.

He seemed dominant throughout a workforce work out earlier than NBA scouts on Oct. 9 however was held out of the previous and following practices earlier than being examined. Tshiebwe underwent surgical procedure that week and missed Kentucky’s Huge Blue Insanity public apply together with final Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage in Pikeville, Kentucky, to learn flood victims.

Calipari had no timetable for Tshiebwe’s return however mentioned he is transferring round and simply has to remain off his ft. Kentucky hosts Howard on Nov. 7.

“When he trains, it could swell, however it goes away and in the intervening time that is what it’s,” Calipari added. “However he is telling me, ‘I am feeling good, my leg feels good, I haven’t got the identical ache that was there.’

“We’re not going to carry him again, however we’re not going to push him ahead, both.”