After setting many Mad Ants franchise records, Pacers center Oscar Tshiebwe wins 2024 G League Rookie of the Year

Tshiebwe has eight appearances with the Pacers

Mar 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Oscar Tshiebwe (44) passes the ball / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers rookie center Oscar Tshiebwe was named the 2023-24 NBA G League Rookie of the Year this week.

Tshiebwe is on a two-way contract with the Pacers, which puts him in a position to split time between the NBA club and their G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants. Because the Pacers have been largely healthy at the center position this season, Tshiebwe has been with the Mad Ants for most of the campaign.

Across the Regular Season and Showcase Cup portions of his rookie year, Tshiebwe averaged 16.4 points and 16.0 rebounds for the Mad Ants. He appeared in 33 games as well as Indiana's recent playoff outing.

Tshiebwe had 27 double doubles, and per a release from the team, he set Indiana's G League franchise record for rebounds (530), offensive rebounds (200) and defensive rebounds (330). He set the team's single-game record on the glass with 28 last November.

His dominance as a rebounder is what made the rookie center so successful. "I think we all knew what he was going to do. It's still unbelievable how he translates from college to the G League," Pacers center Isaiah Jackson said of Tshiebwe's excellence on the boards.

The Pacers inked Tshiebwe to a two-way contract just after the Kentucky product went undrafted last June. He was excited about the opportunity to play for the NBA team that is the closest to Lexington, where he finished up play in college.

"Just congratulations. Great job, hard work. Shown some improvement all year long," Mad Ants head coach Tom Hankins said of Tshiebwe winning the award. Hankins, along with Mad Ants general manager Chris Taylor, presented the young center with the trophy before a game earlier this week.

Oscar Tshiebwe receives his NBA G League Rookie of the Year award from coach Tom Hankins and GM Chris Taylor. pic.twitter.com/qrnKiwmoX1

— Tony East (@TonyREast) April 2, 2024

In the NBA, Tshiebwe has eight appearances this season. He is averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game for the Pacers in those outings. He was in Indiana's rotation once this season when they battled Minnesota on the road, and he has twice played for more than seven minutes in a game.

The 24-year old center is the second Mad Ants player to ever win Rookie of the Year in the G League, joining Tony Mitchell. Mitchell, who played in a few NBA games for the Milwaukee Bucks, took home the honor in 2013.

"Letting him know that we're proud of him and we really appreciate him being here," Hankins said of his message to Tsheibwe after winning the award.

The Mad Ants season is over, so the rookie center can spend the rest of the campaign in the NBA with the Pacers. He was active for their most recent game, a loss in Brooklyn, but he did not play.

During NBA All-Star weekend, Tshiebwe played in both the Rising Stars events and suited up in the G League Next Up game, which his team won. "I'm having so much fun," he shared of the events. His contract only spans one season, so he will be a free agent in the summer.

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