Hawai’i gains commitment of former Davidson fan favorite wing Manie Joses

HONOLULU – The NBA Global Academy to islands pipeline is alive and well.

Former Davidson forward Manie Joses became the latest player to announce their commitment to the University of Hawai’i on Tuesday, joining the Rainbow Warriors after spending the past two seasons with the Wildcats.

A 6-foot-7 wing with pogo-stick athleticism and a motor that would make a Bugatti jealous, Joses appeared in 54 games (6 starts) in his time at Davidson and quickly made himself a fan favorite after showing off a tendency for big blocks and dunks. He shot 53% from the floor and grabbed 14.3% of the total rebounds while he was on the court for the Wildcats.

His defensive profile projects to be an impact level with a chance to continue developing with more time, averaging 3.6 steals and 3.6 blocks per 100 possessions last year at Davidson. Dre Bullock led all qualified Rainbow Warriors with 3.4 steals per 100 possessions last year while Isaac Johnson’s 2.7 blocks per 100 possessions paced Hawai’i.

Originally from London, England, Joses moved to Australia to gain more exposure to Division I college programs while developing his game at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra with coach Marty Clarke. He was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, checking in as the 79th-best small forward prospect in the Class of 2024.

With recruitment led by assistant coach Gibson Johnson, Joses gravitated towards Hawai’i thanks to trust that the staff had built up with his circle previously. After some of his own digging, Joses found UH head coach Eran Ganot had a strong relationship with Clarke which allowed trust to be built quicker between the springy wing and Rainbow Warrior staff.

“Playing for such a decorated staff that is so similar to what I came from at the NBA Academy and knowing I’ll be in an environment that will push me every day so I can develop is exciting,” Joses said in an interview with HSRN.

UC Davis, Western Michigan, UIC and Bucknell were some of the other schools that Joses considered before landing on the islands for his next home. Along with the coaching staff, the sophomore wing said the level of competition and type of community in Hawai’i helped make his decision easier.

“The sense of community is very important to me, and I feel like Hawai’i has it in abundance,” Joses said. “Playing at such a level as the Mountain West excites me [too].”

Joses becomes the eighth player out of the portal to join Hawai’i along with Marcus Adams Jr., Jaden Matingou, Zack Davidson, Houran Dan, Chance Trujillo, Kellen Hampton and Bol Dengdit, who is also an alum of the NBA Global Academy in Australia.

Hawai’i also returns Tanner Cuff and Isaiah Kerr from last year’s Big West champions while prep standouts Tiger Cuff and Scotty Belnap prepare for the freshman seasons.