TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – Former Northwest and Arkansas State basketball standout Adrian Banks has been named the Sixth Man of the Year by Israel's Winner League, announced today by league headquarters.

"I never thought I'd win an award like this in my career," Banks said. "But after today I can tell you it's one of the best awards I've ever won in my life."

Banks has played in all 33 games this season for Hapoel Tel Aviv, averaging 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in roughly 23.5 minutes per game. He has shot 66 percent from field goal range, coupled with a 33 percent total outside the arc, and 76 percent from the free throw line. 

In addition to his most recent honor, the Memphis native is also a three-time Israeli League All-Star (2011-12, 18) and finished as the league's top scorer in 2012 with 21.5 points per game, while a member of the now-defunct Barak Netanya B.C.

Hapoel TA finished the regular season at 19-14 overall, good for fifth in the standings. More recently, the team advanced past the first round of the Winner League playoffs, defeating Maccabi Ashdod three games to one in a best-of-five series. In games two and three of the series, Banks scored 21 and 20 points, respectively, helping Hapoel TA rebound from a Game 1 loss.

Banks and Hapoel TA will now face off against top-seeded and perennial powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv in the league semifinals.

Banks started in all 67 career games during the 2004-06 seasons for head coach Bubba Skelton. An All-MACJC selection and NJCAA Second Team All-American as a sophomore, Banks helped lead the Rangers to consecutive Region 23 championships, a combined 59-8 record and back-to-back Top 10 national rankings. He ranks sixth on the Rangers' all-time scoring list with 1,098 career points.

The accolades and the barrage of scoring continued for two years in Jonesboro at Arkansas State.

Banks closed his collegiate career averaging 20.2 points, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals-per-game and shot an impressive 49 percent from the floor. He led ASU in scoring in 36 of 54 career games, set the school record for points in a season with 695 as a junior and is one of only three players to eclipse the 600-point mark in a season.