The Chicago Bulls have added undrafted forward Tobe Awaka on a two-way NBA contract, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
Awaka joins the Bulls after spending the last two seasons at Arizona, where he developed into a physical interior presence. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 9.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.6 blocks in 20.8 minutes per game during the 2025-26 season.
The Arizona product appeared in 39 games last season, making three starts while shooting 58.7% from the field. He was most effective inside the arc, converting 59.7% of his two-point attempts, while his three-point volume remained limited at 0.3 attempts per game.
Awaka’s rebounding production was his biggest strength. He recorded 3.5 offensive rebounds and 5.5 defensive rebounds per game in 2025-26, giving him 9.1 total rebounds despite playing fewer than 21 minutes per night. His career average across 145 college games was 6.4 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game.
Before Arizona, Awaka spent two seasons at Tennessee. He averaged 5.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2023-24 before transferring, then took on a larger role with the Wildcats. His career shooting profile shows consistency as a paint scorer, with a 60.7% field-goal percentage across four college seasons.
Chicago’s frontcourt already features several rotation options, including Jalen Smith, Zach Collins and Nick Richards. Smith averaged 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games during the 2025-26 season, while Richards posted 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in 20 appearances.
The Bulls finished the 2025-26 season with a 31-51 record, placing 12th in the Eastern Conference and missing the postseason. Chicago selected forward Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 overall pick and Texas forward Dailyn Swain at No. 15 before adding guard Braden Smith at No. 38, who was later traded to the Indiana Pacers.
Awaka’s two-way contract gives Chicago another developmental frontcourt player while maintaining roster flexibility. The Bulls have continued to add younger players around their core, including 2025-26 contributors such as Matas Buzelis, who averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his second NBA season.
