Jazz two-way player Oscar Tshiebwe steals the show at media day

There are countless charismatic NBA players. There are hilarious, sarcastic, intelligent, vibrant personalities across the league, which is part of what makes the NBA so incredible. And the Utah Jazz have a lot of players with great personalities!
But Oscar Tshiebwe exists on a plane of his own.
The two-way player spent just under 10 minutes speaking with local reporters during media day on Monday and by the time he walked out of the room everyone was ready to start the Oscar Tshiebwe fan club. There were puppy dog eyes, declarations that he deserves a lifetime contract with the team and multiple statements of how wonderful a person Tshiebwe is.
I promise you, Jazz fans, Oscar Tshiebwe is going to be one of your favorite players.
It starts with an infectious smile that feels supremely genuine and it’s helped along by a deep and loud voice that is also somehow soft and almost timid. Then, what he says feels heartfelt and thoughtful.
At 6-foot-8, you might not think that Tshiebwe would be known for his rebounding, but he’s made a name for himself by absolutely dominating the glass. He started his collegiate career at West Virginia before transferring to Kentucky, where he averaged 14.4 rebounds per game across two seasons. He racked up a number of collegiate accolades and although he went undrafted in 2023, he’s continued to wow on the boards on a two-way deal with the Indiana Pacers.
He was named the 2024 G League Rookie of the Year and set a single-season record by grabbing 16.2 rebounds per game. Team sources have indicated that in open gym runs with the Jazz this offseason, he’s continued to be a menace when it comes to rebounding. So how does he do it?
“Because I always want it the most,” Tshiebwe said. “When you want something the most, (more) than everybody, you have a likely chance to get it.”
But of course, it’s not all just about heart and want. Tshiebwe has spent countless hours studying rebounding, and ball placement based on release, bounce percentages and body placement in order to maximize movement after a rebound. And this all came about because he was on a bad high school basketball team and he was desperate to find a way to make them better.
“When I figured it out and start doing that, one night I had 30 rebounds,” Tshiebwe said. “And we had our first game win…and after I fight and fight and discover it, I helped my team go to the state final.”
After losing that state final, he led his high school team to two state championship wins.
But after diving into his love of rebounding and greats like Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone, Tshiebwe sent his heartfelt condolences to Dikembe Mutombo’s family. Tshiebwe grew up idolizing the fellow Congolese player, a Hall of Famer who died at the age of 58 on Monday. Though the two never met, Tshiebwe shared the one time that they spoke on the phone.
Mutombo was trying to recruit Tshiebwe to play at Georgetown and although his efforts didn’t pay off, the call left a lasting mark on Tshiebwe.
“He said ‘Hey,’” Tshiebwe said with an absolute spot on Mutombo vocal impression. “You gotta come to Georgetown…You gotta come here. We’re gonna teach you how to break people’s nose.”
Through the entirety of the interview with Tshiebwe on Monday, what was plain to see is his joy and appreciation of life and of basketball. And in his sincerity he won over a room full of reporters, which is not always the easiest thing to do.