Growing up in the Congo, the idea of playing basketball competitively wasn’t even on Oscar Tshiebwe’s radar, let alone making a career out of the sport. If anything, the Kentucky newcomer had dreams of playing soccer at the professional level, as that was the area’s most popular sport and one he had thrived in throughout his childhood.
At age 14, though, his brother’s friend introduced him to the game of basketball and pushed him to give it a shot, where he fell in love almost immediately. Despite being brand new to the sport, Tshiebwe knew right away he had found his calling.