Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe was named the winner of the John R. Wooden Award on Tuesday as the nation’s top basketball player.
Tshiebwe beat out Ochai Agbaji of national champion Kansas, Johnny Davis of Wisconsin, Iowa’s Keegan Murray and Drew Timme of Gonzaga.
Tshiebwe led the nation in rebounding (15.1) and averaged 17.4 points in 34 starts. He also led the nation with 515 total rebounds, the most rebounds in a season since 1973.
Tshiebwe and Aliyah Boston, the women’s Wooden Award winner, will be presented their awards Friday at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
Tshiebwe is the second Kentucky player to win the award, joining Anthony Davis in 2012.
Tshiebwe and the other finalists also were named to the 10-player Wooden All-American team. Also named to the squad were Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey, Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin and Auburn’s Jabari Smith.
