Walk-on Warrior: Hawai’i pulls off scholarship surprise for Kody Williams

HONOLULU – Hard work pays off. 

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team enjoyed a fun surprise Sunday afternoon as junior walk-on Kody Williams was put on scholarship after the team’s practice. The Rainbow Warriors surprised the guard while watching film. 

“It meant the world,” Williams said after being put on scholarship. “To cherish that moment with everyone who put in the work with me was just an amazing feeling and for the guys to be that excited [for me] makes me grateful for not only the sport but the people that helped me get here.” 

Williams appeared in 39 games over his first two seasons with the Rainbow Warriors, averaging 1.4 points per game in a limited role as a reserve. The 6-foot-0 guard enjoyed his best collegiate game in an overtime win over UC San Diego last season, pouring in a career-high 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting (2-of-3 3PT) off the bench in the February 8 win for Hawai’i. 

“It’s a great moment but he deserved it,” head coach Eran Ganot said of Williams on Monday’s Wake Up in the Den appearance. “It was the first time we’d seen him that emotional and probably because of the work he put in and you want to reward that.” 

During his prep career, Williams was a four-time all-league selection and helped lead Wayazata High School (MN) to a state title for the first time in 62 years before heading off to South Kent School (CT) for a post-graduate season. During his senior year for Wayazata, the guard filled up the box score with averages of 12.3 points, 11.1 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game as his squad went 19-2 in the magical season. 

“This is an earn program and the reason he’s played [as a walk-on] is because he’s earned it and the reason he got this scholarship is because he’s earned it,” Ganot said about the third-year guard. 

Williams celebrates with teammate Ryan Rapp. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Williams becomes the 12th scholarship player for Hawai’i, who needed to reload after six players graduated and sophomore center Mor Seck entered the transfer portal after the 2023-24 season. The Rainbow Warriors added four players via the transfer portal and eight total fresh faces after last season’s end and will officially see freshman guard AJ Economou suit up in games after he enrolled early and redshirted the spring semester.