Kamaka Hepa will play for the New Orleans Pelicans in Las Vegas (via U. Of Hawai’i)
Former Hawai’i MBB Captain Kamaka Hepa Set for Pelicans Debut in Las Vegas
BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JULY 3, 2023
HONOLULU — The “Ninth Island” will play host to one of the beloved ‘Bows from this past rendition of Hawai’i men’s basketball as the 2023 NBA Summer League gets set to go.
Kamaka Hepa, the six-foot-ten stretch forward and former four-star recruit who committed to Texas out of high school before transferring to UH for his final two seasons, gets his first shot at professional basketball in Las Vegas from July 7-17 as he suits up for the New Orleans Pelicans summer league team. He will wear number 43 for the Pelicans.
Joining the former Big West star for the Summer Pelicans is 2023 first round selection Jordan Hawkins from national champion UCONN, 2022 NBA Draft 8th overall pick and six-foot-eight guard Dyson Daniels and others.
NOLA will play a guaranteed five games while in Vegas, with the first on Friday, July 7 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The entire schedule can be found below.
|
Opponent |
Date |
Time |
|
@ MIN Timberwolves |
7/7/23 |
10:30 AM HT NBA TV |
|
@ GS Warriors |
7/9/23 |
4:00 PM HT ESPN2 |
|
Vs PHX Suns |
7/11/23 |
2:00 PM HT ESPN2 |
|
Vs CHA Hornets |
7/13/23 |
1:30 PM HT NBA TV |
|
TBD – Based on Results |
7/15-16/23 |
TBD |
Hepa averaged 11.5 PPG and 6.6 RPG in his final season for the Rainbow Warriors, showing a reliable stroke from downtown (39% 3PT FG) especially for a big man. He knocked down a team-leading 67 three-pointers in his final season for the ‘Bows.
The All-Big West honorable mention was a two-time captain for Hawai’i and has been applauded for his leadership and the growth in his game by UH head coach Eran Ganot over the past two seasons.
Hepa conducted pre-draft workouts with the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors before going undrafted. The forward has been described as a “late-bloomer” by Ganot and now continues getting a chance to develop for an NBA team.
All games will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS or NBA TV and can be found streaming via the ESPN and NBA apps. New Orleans will broadcast all their summer league games on Pelicans.com and the Pelicans app.
Timmy Chang Addresses Offensive Struggles, Late-Game Confusion Following Loss to North Dakota State
University of Hawai‘i football head coach Timmy Chang addressed the media following the Rainbow Warriors' 21-13 loss to North Dakota State on Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Hawai‘i (3-7, 2-5 Mountain West) carried a...
Hawai’i falls apart in fourth against North Dakota State as bowl hopes end
HONOLULU – Sometimes there are rainbows, other times there is just rain. A stormy 2026 season continued for the University of Hawai’i football team on Saturday night as the Rainbow Warriors fell in the first ever meeting against North Dakota...
Kilminster’s 29 helps Hawaii Pacific push past Alaska Fairbanks
HONOLULU – Welcome back, Killa Kilminster. The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team moved back above .500 on Friday night, using a 29-point explosion from fifth-year guard Evan Kilminster to cruise by Alaska Fairbanks on the first night...
Hawaii Pacific posts triple digits for the first time in six years in win over Alaska Fairbanks
HONOLULU – Scoring explosion Sharks. For the first time since the 2019-2020 season, the Hawaii Pacific University women’s basketball team eclipsed 100 points in a single game on Friday evening as the Sharks opened up the Alaska/Hawaii Challenge...
Mitchell gets first career win as Hawai’i hangs on against Saint Mary’s in triple overtime
HONOLULU – There’s an old saying that says you always remember your first. That adage will most certainly hold true for Hawai’i’s Khalilah Mitchell, who picked up her first win as the head coach of the Rainbow Wahine basketball program on...
Hawai’i claims outright Mountain West title behind Reid’s 20-kill night
HONOLULU – What started as a season-long goal has become a reality. After exiting the Big West in 2025 after the program’s worst-ever finish in the conference standings, the University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team entered the 2026...
Hawai‘i Returns Home Seeking Third Straight Win Against North Dakota State
After nearly a month away from home and back-to-back road victories, Hawai‘i returns to the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on Saturday with an opportunity to keep its late-season momentum alive against one of the Mountain West's top teams....
Wyoming golden goal breaks hearts of Hawai’i in Mountain West semifinals
Everyone remembers their first heartbreak. The University of Hawai’i women’s soccer team certainly won’t forget the first heartbreak as a Mountain West member. The third-seeded Rainbow Wahine (9-7-2) saw their season end on Wednesday afternoon,...
Sterling Carvalho returns to high school sidelines as new Saint Louis head football coach
Sterling Carvalho is returning to the high school football sidelines, this time taking over one of Hawai‘i's most storied programs. The former Kahuku head coach, who guided the Red Raiders to three consecutive HHSAA Open Division state...
Frigid shooting sinks Hawai’i against Portland in OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic finale
HONOLULU – Colder than a penguin’s tuxedo. The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team sputtered in the second half of the 2026 OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic finale against Portland on Monday night, making five of their final 34 shots from...