TUCSON — When Arizona's coaching staff asked Tobe Awaka to come off the bench this season, the senior forward didn't push back. He embraced it — and the rest of the country took notice.
Awaka was a unanimous choice for the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year award, becoming just the third player in Arizona basketball program history to earn the honor. He joins Jordan Brown, who won the award in 2020-21, and Pelle Larsson, who won it in 2021-22.
The numbers behind Awaka's season are hard to ignore.
Despite starting just three of Arizona's games, filling in during a stretch when Koa Peat was injured, Awaka averaged 9.6 points and 9.5 rebounds while playing only 21 minutes per game off the bench.
According to KenPom.com, he's the top offensive rebounder in the entire country. His 271 rebounds off the bench are the most by any bench player in the country since 2023-24.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd said accepting a reserve role isn't something every player handles gracefully, but Awaka did.
"To basically ask and be okay with coming off the bench… I think he's very deserving of the award, and his impact has been tremendous," Lloyd said.
That impact showed up every time Awaka stepped on the floor.
Coming off the bench in favor of Arizona's talented freshman class, he brought energy, physicality and production that few reserves anywhere in the country could match.
Near double-double averages in just over 20 minutes a night is the kind of efficiency that changes games — and seasons.
His teammate and fellow senior Jaden Bradley, who was named Big 12 Player of the Year, didn't mince words when asked about Awaka's talent.
"I'm pretty sure he can go anywhere in the country and start," Bradley said.
Bradley also made clear that facing a player like Awaka in practice every day is something opponents simply don't have to deal with, and that's an edge.
"Just the stuff he's been able to do… be a, you know, top big, but, you know, just to have him on our team, you don't have to deal with him, running into him, and all that other stuff, but, you know, kudos to Tobe," Bradley said.
Awaka was also named to the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention team, adding another layer to what has been a standout senior campaign.
