Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe will work out for the Cleveland Cavaliers before the 2023 NBA Draft Thursday, according to basketball insider Adam Zagoria.
Tshiebwe won National Player of the Year honors from all six NCAA-recognized awards in 2022. He has already worked out for several other NBA teams, with a total schedule of 16 pre-draft workouts.
Most big boards and mock drafts don’t have Tshiebwe as a first-round pick, and many expect him to fall to the end of the second round if he’s drafted at all.
Still, Tshiebwe has a unique skill set that the many teams, including the Cavs, could benefit from. Most importantly, the big man is without question the best rebounder in this draft. If his college production translates to the pros, he’ll be a big help on the glass for his NBA team.
In his first season at Kentucky, Tshiebwe averaged 17 points and 15 rebounds on 60 percent shooting. He put up similar production in the 2022-23 season as well.
Scouts don’t believe Oscar Tshiebwe can be an NBA star, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t value in drafting him. Any NBA team would love to have an efficient 15 and 15 off the bench.
“I believe there will be a team in the NBA that will love what I do,” Tshiebwe said at the NBA draft combine.
Tshiebwe’s main weakness at the NBA level is his lack of shooting ability. While his college scoring was highly efficient, most of it came from inside the paint. In the NCAA, Tshiebwe was able to dominate with his physicality. Listed at 6-foot-9, 260 lbs, he likely won’t be such a force inside.
In his full college career, Tshiebwe attempted just two three-pointers. However, in the offseason, he has worked on shooting the corner three. If he can reliably add that element to his game, he will be much more versatile offensively.