John Calipari Unsure If Oscar Tshiebwe Will Return For Champions Classic Next Week

The Wildcats' superstar may not return next week for the Champions Classic against Michigan State

Kentucky is 2-0 despite being without star center and Preseason All-American Oscar Tshiebwe. 

The reigning unanimous National Player of the Year did not participate in either Big Blue Madness, the Blue-White Scrimmage, either of UK's exhibitions or the first two games of the regular season. On Oct. 11, Head coach John Calipari announced via Twitter that Tshiebwe was set to undergo a "minor 15-minute" procedure on his knee to "clean some things up."

In the lead-up to the regular season, it was thought that Tshiebwe would sit out the preseason and perhaps a game or two, but that there would be no long term impact from the knee injury. 

That time window has now come and gone, but there's still no concrete update on when Big Blue Nation can expect the big man's return. 

"I don't know yet," head coach John Calipari said of Tshiebwe's status. "He's got to go through some workouts and if it swells or does stuff, we're just going to have to wait. That surgery, he's ahead of schedule, but, you know, you’ve got to be able to stop and turn and, you know, it's not ligament or anything like that. But there was an operation where they went inside that area where it will still be sore for a minute."

Kentucky's first big test of the season comes this Tuesday, Nov. 15 in the Champions Classic, where the Cats will take on Michigan State. It remains unclear if Tshiebwe will be healthy enough to take part in the Power Five clash in Indianapolis. 

For more on the win over Duquesne, click here. 

Game Notes on the Victory can be found here.

Watch: Toppin, Wheeler, Onyenso speak on the win