The University of Hawaii has added a wing to its basketball foundation.
Manie Joses, a 6-foot-7 transfer from Davidson, has signed a commitment contract with the UH men’s basketball team. Joses will join the Rainbow Warriors in June. He will have at least two years of UH eligibility — three if the NCAA approves a measure to allow players five college seasons.
“It’s a great fit for me as a player and as a person,” Joses said of his decision. “It’s a great place that values tradition and family. That aligns with my values, as well.”
Joses is UH’s 10th newcomer. The ’Bows now have 12 players under contract for the 2026-27 season.
Joses was born and reared in London, attended the NBA Global Academy in Australia for two years, and then played in 54 games for Davidson the past two seasons, averaging 2.1 points per game in 10.9 minutes. With quickness, tenacity and a 7-foot-1 wing span, Joses provides one-through-five defense, rebounding (2.0 per game), steals (0.6) and blocks (0.6).
“He’s super athletic, high-level athletic,” said Marty Clarke, who was the Global Academy’s technical director and coach. “He has a big, long wing span. He runs the floor, good offensive rebounder, good cutter. He’s really quick off the floor. He blocks a lot of jump shots. People think they’re open, and suddenly he swallows up space.”
At 7, his mother took him to weekly basketball clinics.
“I slowly fell in love with the game,” Joses said. “I loved playing with my best friends. I kept playing. We got good and started winning.”
After winning a national tournament as a 16-year-old sophomore, he received a scholarship offer from the NBA Global Academy in Australia.
“We have scouts around the world who looked at players for the NBA Pathway,” Clarke said. “He was identified through that process and came to Australia.”
Recent UH commit Bol Dengdit, a 6-foot-11 transfer from UC San Diego, also attended the Global Academy.
It was after an exhibition game in the United States when the Davidson coaches made a scholarship offer to Joses.
As a 3-and-D specialist, Joses often was summoned to guard the opposing team’s best player. During the summers, NBA All-Star Steph Curry, Davidson’s assistant general manager and the program’s most notable alumnus, conducted training sessions. The Wildcats were put through Curry’s ball-handling workouts.
“The tennis-ball drill, the two-ball (dribbling), all that stuff,” Joses said. “He was really cool. He has a lot of wisdom. He was bestowing us with wisdom.”
Joses said he entered the NCAA transfer portal in search of new opportunities on the court and in the classroom.
“He’s very intelligent, very studious, and that flows into basketball,” Clarke said. “He’ll study the game of basketball and make sure he can do everything he can. He has a well-rounded view of life. Basketball is part of a life that includes studying and socialization. He’s got opinions on things and isn’t afraid to share them. He’s a really good person, very polite.”
Clarke added: “It’s an exciting (commitment) for (UH coach) Eran Ganot and his staff. I think he’ll fit their style of game. I think they’ll use him productively. … The Hawaii fan base should be excited by him. He’s an exciting player.”