College sophomores aren’t really ever a problem in the NBA Draft. But head coach Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors do tend to think outside of the box. That’s where selecting a prospect like the West Virginia Mountaineers rising sophomore big man Oscar Tshiebwe could come into play.
The problem that Tshiebwe will run into for the 2021 NBA Draft discussion is how long it could take for his development to finally come to fruition. But the rate of improvement that Tshiebwe showed under head coach Bob Huggins during his freshman season at West Virginia was something that is hard to argue with.
During his true freshman campaign at West Virginia, Tshiebwe played in 31 games while averaging 11.2 points per game, 9.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 70.8 percent from the charity stripe.
He has limited range and not much scoring ability outside of within five feet from the rim and with his back to the basket. Given how he was able to improve his footwork and fundamentals last season, seeing him extend his range last season might not be the out of the cards.
Although, it’s not the statistical production that NBA scouts will be looking for out of Tshiebwe primarily. His physical tools and feel for the game need to progress during his sophomore season. At 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, Tshiebwe has extreme size and strength down low and he could be a force on both ends of the floor for the Warriors at the next level.