Dennis Awtrey (born February 22, 1948) is a former American professional basketball player who played as a center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for eight seasons.
Born in San Francisco, California, Awtrey attended Blackford High School in San Jose before playing college basketball at Santa Clara University. During his collegiate career, he became a standout player for the Broncos, known for his rebounding, interior defense, and solid post play. His strong performance earned him significant attention from professional scouts.
Awtrey was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 1970 NBA Draft. He began his professional career with the 76ers, playing one season before being traded to the Chicago Bulls, where he spent two seasons (1971–1973).
His most substantial period came with the Phoenix Suns, where he played from 1973 to 1977. During his four seasons in Phoenix, Awtrey established himself as a reliable starting center and key defensive anchor, providing solid rebounding and screening. He then had brief stints with the Boston Celtics (1977–1978) and concluded his NBA career with the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1977–1978 season. With the SuperSonics, Awtrey contributed to the team's run to the 1978 NBA Finals, where they ultimately fell to the Washington Bullets.
Throughout his eight-year NBA career, Awtrey played in 591 regular-season games, accumulating totals of 3,646 points, 3,423 rebounds, and 913 assists. He was primarily valued for his defensive presence, rebounding prowess, and ability to set screens, rather than for his scoring output. Awtrey retired from professional basketball after the 1977–1978 season.