Oscar Tshiebwe immediately became a UK fan favorite. (UK Athletics Photo)
Anna Maria Tarullo thought Oscar Tshiebwe had a chance to be a special player at Kentucky after he transferred from West Virginia. She had not covered him in person while she was sports director at WOWK-TV in Charleston, WV, before he came to WLEX-TV in Lexington to co-host BBN Tonight with Keith Farmer.
“You could tell from our content (at WOWK) how joyous he was,” Tarullo said. “There were so many rumors about him being a bad personality fit at West Virginia and the fans are still so bitter about him. I am surprised they are not crying about missing him.
“He averaged almost a double-double there. His rebounding is phenomenal. But before he transferred there was all that chatter about him not being a personality fit. I don’t know who was on the wrong side of what there but he’s such a joy yet the West Virginia fans were brutal on him.”
Recently West Virginia coach Bob Huggins insinuated that Tshiebwe was not willing to work hard enough to play at West Virginia and took the easy way out by transferring. That certainly has turned into a blessing for UK because he’s become a sometimes dominant inside presence.
“I did the first sit-down interview with him when he arrived at Kentucky. I immediately had a soft spot in my heart for him,” Tarullo, a Louisville native, said. “I think he became my favorite Kentucky player after one interview. He’s right there with Chuck Hayes, Karl Anthony-Towns, DeMarcus Cousins. And it’s not just me. He’s a big-time fan favorite here no matter what those fans in West Virginia thought.”
