LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- University of Kentucky men's basketball star Oscar Tshiebwe announced Wednesday he'll return to school for his senior season.

Tshiebwe, who is from the Congo, will anchor a young lineup in Lexington a year after becoming the first-ever Wildcat to win unanimous men's national player of the year. He won the John R. Wooden Award in addition to player of the year honors from The Associated Press, Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, The Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Tshiebwe first announced the decision on ESPN's SportsCenter, saying on the broadcast that he prayed and consulted with his mother before deciding last week to return to school. Tshiebwe said it was his dream to be an NBA lottery pick, but draft projections had him going in the second round.

The 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound forward averaged more than 17 points and 15 rebounds per game on 60.6% shooting from the field. He finished the season with 16 consecutive double-doubles on the way to a school-record 28 that surpassed Kentucky great Dan Issel (26).

The last Kentucky player to win a major national player of the year award was Anthony Davis in 2012. Tshiebwe will be the first men's college basketball player to return to school after winning Naismith College Player of the Year since the University of North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, who won the award in 2008.

Tshiebwe thrived all season after transferring to Lexington from West Virginia University, totaling the highest per-game rebounding output in Division I since 1980. He had five games of at least 20 rebounds this season and three games with at least 10 boards on the offensive glass alone.

This story will be updated.

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