Surprisingly, 6th-man award means little to Jamar Samuels

When Jamar Samuels convinced Frank Martin to let him come off the bench this season, the sophomore forward began openly campaigning for the Big 12's 6th-man of the Year award.

"That's why I'm not starting," he often said. "I want to win me an award."

Samuels is the biggest jokester on the K-State roster, and those statements were not always serious. His reasons for not starting were many, and went deeper than simply wanting an individual award.

Judging by his reaction to receiving the coveted honor this weekend, they went much, much deeper.

"It's something that I've been working for all year, and I finally got it," Samuels said. "But it's not really the main focus for me right now."

Samuels went on to say he was happier for those close to him who won awards over the weekend -- Frank Martin (new contract and Big 12 Coach of the Year), Jacob Pullen (first team all-Big 12) and Denis Clemente (second team all-Big 12).

He said he found out about winning the 6th-man award Sunday morning on twitter, put down his computer and went about his day.

"I was pretty happy about it," Samuels said. "But we've still got the postseason."

When told he could now campaign for a postseason award, such as Big 12 Tournament MVP, he laughed and said the only K-State players with any chance of winning that award were Pullen and Clemente.

Besides, he's over the whole individual award thing. Well, almost.

"A championship or something like that," Samuels said. "If that counts as an award, I'm all for that."