Arizona has won 10 consecutive games to begin the 2025-26 season in large part because of the contributions and leadership of multi-year transfers, forward Tobe Awaka and guards Jaden Bradley and Anthony Dell'Orso.
Awaka and Dell'Orso showed exceptional leadership this season by accepting their roles as reserves. Awaka started 36 out of 37 games during the 2024-25 season and Dell'Orso 28. Bradley is in his third season with the Arizona basketball team and his second as the starting point guard.
Awaka and Dell'Orso are in their second seasons with Arizona. Bradley transferred to Arizona from Alabama during the 2023 portal cycle. Awaka transferred to Arizona from Tennessee and Dell'Orso from Campbell University in North Carolina during the spring of 2024.
Bradley started 28 out of 37 games during the 2022-23 season at Alabama, averaging 6.4 points per game. 2.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists. In the last two seasons as the starting PG for Arizona, Bradley is averaging 12.4 PPG, 3.4 rebounds, 3.8 APG and 1.8 steals.
Improved production coming off the bench
Awaka has had a significant increase in playing time and his production has improved greatly during his two seasons with Arizona. In two seasons at Tennessee, Awaka averaged 4.2 PPG and 4.2 RPG, while shooting 591 percent from the floor in 11.7 MPG over 59 games with no starts.
Awaka is averaging 8.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.1 offensive RPG, 5.2 RPG and is shooting 62.1 percent from the field in two seasons with Arizona. Awaka is averaging significantly more points and rebounds in 2025-26 than he did during his first season with Arizona in 2024-25.
Dell'Orso was a star at Campbell, posting 15.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 APG and 1.2 SPG, while playing in 66 games, with 58 starts and averging 31.0 minutes from 2022 through 2024. Dell'Orso came to Arizona to play at a much higher level, knowing his usage rate would decrease significantly.
Dell'Orso was brought to Arizona for his three-point shooting. Despite coming off the bench in 2025-26 and starting 28 out of 37 games this season, Dell'Orso has significantly improved his production. In two seasons with Arizona, Dell'Orso is averaging 8.0 PPG, shooting 40.1 percent on three-point attempts and 91.3 percent on free throws.
Dell'Orso is averaging 11.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG and shooting 46.3 percent from the floor, 36.6 percent on three-point attempts and 91.3 percent from the free throw line. Dell'Orso is penetrating far more often in 2025-26. In 2024-25, 60.5 percent of Dell'Orso's field goal attempts were threes, which has decreased to 51.3 percent this year.