The Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year brings relentless physicality and elite rebounding to the second round, offering Sacramento a high-motor interior presence with blossoming floor-spacing potential.
The 2026 NBA Draft is officially one week out, and we at KingsRoundtable will continue to churn out the last couple player snapshots before June 23.
Recently, I have highlighted second round talents like Vanderbilt's Tyler Nickel, Houston's Milos Uzan, and Ohio State's Bruce Thornton.
In this profile, I will highlight Arizona forward Tobe Awaka, who is one of the most physically imposing players in this year's class.
Glass Cleaner
Awaka was perhaps the best bench player in the country last season, winning Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year in dominant fashion.
He is a monster on the inside, with his 353 total rebounds ranking eighth nationally despite coming off the bench in 36 of 39 games.
In just over 20 minutes per game, Awaka nearly averaged a double-double, averaging 9.3 points and 9.1 rebounds.
The 6-foot-8 senior shot 58.7-percent from the field, while showing a semblance of comfortablility from range.
In limited attempts, Awaka shot over 41-percent from deep, while getting to the free-throw line at an increased clip.
Awaka recorded double-doubles in Arizona's first two Big 12 Conference Tournament victories, ultimately helping the Wildcats earn the conference championship.
Physical Level of Play
Awaka plays with an extremely physical play style, seeking out first contact to get a clearer angle to the ball.
The 6-foot-8 forward makes up for being slightly undersized with tenacious effort and intelligent rebounding strategies, finding himself in the right place to create second-chance opportunities.
Awaka had a good showing at the combine, displaying his 37.5-inch vertical leap and knocking down enough spot-up 3-pointers to show room for growth.
Areas For Improvement
Outside of tightening up his jump shot, Awaka should look to add some secondary moves to his game.
In today's space-and-pace era, developing a floater or push shot similar to Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein would benefit Awaka's scoring ability.
A mid-range could also be crucial for Awaka, as most teams will play off him and look to box him out before hitting the paint.
Draft Projection
In ESPN's updated mock, Awaka landed with the Toronto Raptors at the No. 50 overall pick.
This aligns well with ESPN's big board, where the Hyde Park, New York, native is tagged as the No. 49 prospect in the class.
Are Kings a Fit?
While Awaka plays a similar brand of basketball to rookie big man Dylan Cardwell, he has much more offensive upside, especially as a perimeter jump shooter.
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