Rick Barnes discusses the status of Tennessee forward Tobe Awaka in the NCAA Transfer Portal
The door is open for Tobe Awaka to rejoin the Tennessee basketball program, according to head coach Rick Barnes. But returning to the Vols or leaving through the NCAA Transfer Portal is a decision the sophomore power forward still has to make.
Barnes said during a media availability Thursday at Thompson-Boling Arena that he would be open to Awaka returning to the Vols after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal last week, but Tennessee’s coaching staff can’t wait around on him.
“It’s based on how it happened and based on how I know things happen,” Barnes said. “You’re always flexible, open to it. But some cases, yes, some cases not.”
Awaka last week became the third Tennessee basketball player to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal over a span of five days, joining redshirt freshman guard Freddie Dilione V and redshirt freshman wing DJ Jefferson. A day later, junior center Jonas Aidoo entered the portal.
Awaka’s portal entrance came on the heels of some of his most productive minutes during the Tennessee’s run to the Elite Eight last month. He wrote in a statement posted on social media that the decision to enter the portal was one that was “extremely difficult” to make.
Awaka, the 6-foot-8, 250-pounder, averaged 5.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 13.0 minutes per game over 35 games during his second season with the Vols.
In four NCAA Tournament games, Awaka had 25 points and 18 rebounds. He had 10 points and five rebounds in just 11 minutes against Texas in the second round at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, helping Tennessee advance with a 62-58 win.
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He had five points and five rebounds in 21 minutes in the Sweet 16 win over Creighton at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. He had two points and four rebounds in 14 minutes in the season-ending loss to Purdue in the Elite Eight.
Awaka averaged 3.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game last season while shooting 61.1% from the field this season.
“We respected Tobe a lot and we still do,” Barnes said. “But oftentimes we’ve had guys tell us that after they had left they’ve made mistakes. And sometimes in a rush in the moment people can listen to people and realize that maybe they maybe should have waited and thought it all out a bit more.”
What Tennessee’s coaching staff can’t do is wait around too long on Awaka.
“Obviously, we all respect him and love him for what he did for us,” Barnes said. “But if he feels he’s got to go through the process, he needs to do it. With that said, we’re not waiting, because we’re going to move forward and build this roster as quickly as we can.”
