Oscar Tshiebwe didn’t hesitate to posterize an old rival during the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. In the finals of the Rising Stars Challenge, the former Kentucky standout threw down a mean jam over former Auburn center Walker Kessler.
When the pair was in college, they only faced off one time. In the matchup, Kessler came out on top with No. 2 Auburn defeating No. 12 Kentucky 80-71. In the win, Kessler tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks while shooting 8-10 from the field.
Despite ending up on the wrong side of the outing, Tshiebwe posted 16 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. The Rising Stars finale was Tshiebwe and Kessler’s first matchup in two years. Again, Kessler walked away with a win.
In the championship, Kessler boosted his team, coached by Jalen Rose, to back-to-back wins and a Rising Stars Challenge trophy. While Kessler was pivotal in the matchup, Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was named the Rising Stars Challenge MVP.
Oscar Tshiebwe grinding his way toward an NBA contract
In Tshiebwe’s defense, he had the odds stacked against him. This year, the Rising Stars Challenge was a four-team tournament. Three of those teams consisted of budding NBA players. However, Tshiebwe’s team was purely G-League talent.
Many fans didn’t believe the team should be in All-Star Weekend, much less the Rising Stars championship. However, Tshiebwe and Co. defied the odds when they downed a team led by Victor Wembanyama in the first round of the four-team tourney.
Tshiebwe out-rebounded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, hauling in a game-high eight rebounds. Those familiar with Tshiebwe’s games weren’t surprised by his production on the glass.
In 11 games with the Mad Ants this season, Tshiebwe has averaged 12.2 points and 12.6 points per game while shooting 57.4% from the floor. Ahead of the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Tshiebwe pulled back the curtain on his rookie campaign.
“Everything is going good,” Tshiebwe said. “I’m learning a lot, especially when I’m with the Pacers. I don’t get to play much, but I’m learning the game. Now, when I’m with the Mad Ants, I have a killer mentality. I’m thinking about everything… When I’m with the Mad Ants, it’s like practice for me. I’m practicing, getting better and learning every day.”
Tshiebwe also predicted his massive rebounding performance.
“In the Rising Stars, I’ll just tell them to shoot the ball all the time. I’ll be down there rebounding the ball. It’d be good if I grabbed 30 rebounds in the Rising Stars [Challenge]. I think [the rebounding] will translate. Anyway, we’ll be having a lot of fun.”
More must-reads: