The Chicago Bulls, through their first three matchups of Summer League, have had a clear storyline developing— Caleb Wilson looks like everything fans thought he could be through the pre-draft process.
But even if Wilson is indeed the two-way star of the future in Chicago, Bryson Graham's newly-minted rebuild needs more than just one successful swing, especially one that was granted to them in the Draft Lottery. The Bulls need young talent, and they need to continue to scout and find diamonds in the rough at every turn.
Dailyn Swain, admittedly, has struggled to put things together offensively so far in Summer League. Jaylin Sellers has looked good on both ends of the court, but his tendency to overdribble and dominate the ball has hurt his efficiency. Those players are expected to put flashy performances forward, and they've either fallen short or excelled at turns during their stint in Las Vegas.
But Tobe Awaka, the forward out of Arizona who the Bulls picked up post-draft, isn't expected to put up flashy numbers. And, for the most part, he hasn't.
But he's done exactly what he's expected to, and that in and of itself is a major victory for a player that still has a lot to prove at the NBA level.
Tobe Awaka is a rebounding machine, and his versatility as a small-ball five could help land him an NBA role
Prior to the 2026 NBA Draft, evaluators were all over the place on Awaka. Jeremy Woo's 60-pick mock draft for ESPN had him going 50th, while Sam Vecenie had him ranked at 72nd on his big board for The Athletic's NBA Draft Guide.
Ultimately, it depended on what one felt Awaka's ultimate role could be at the NBA level. He's an absolutely elite rebounder and a strong interior scorer, having averaged 9.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while shooting 58.7% from the floor in his final season at Arizona. But he's not truly mobile enough to play the four consistently, and his size prevents him from being a viable rim protector at the five spot.
Awaka is what's known as a 'tweener', and that's a dirty word in the modern NBA.
But across three Summer League appearances with Chicago, he's shown exactly what he's capable of— even if that label is ultimately justified. His first game was uneventful, but he posted nine rebounds (six of which were on the offensive glass) in the matchup against the Utah Jazz. Then, against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, Awaka broke loose, posting 14 points, 10 rebounds, and one assist on 6-of-8 shooting from the field.
Again, there was nothing flashy. But there didn't need to be.
Awaka has the size, the strength, and the rebounding feel to outwork opponents in the paint at every turn. He can box his man out with his large frame or leap over the top of a defender to gain an extra possession. While his offensive bag isn't varied, he also has the strength and the willingness to fight through contact and earn points on the putback.
He also got significant run as a small-ball five off the bench against Washington, setting screens and operating as a roll man for whoever was bringing the ball up the court over the course of the game.
It's unclear what his role will be on a two-way contract with Chicago in 2026-27. But even without a eye-popping offensive performance under his belt, Awaka is showing exactly what he can be— a valuable rebounding and energy tool for a team that needs physicality off the bench.
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