There were no “Hello, my name is …” stickers filled out and worn at last Friday’s first official Hawai’i men’s basketball practice in Gym II, but it might have been helpful for those observers who haven’t been around the team since last season ended in March.
Eight newcomers — including four from the transfer portal — joined seven returnees from last year’s team which finished 20-14 and advanced to the Big West Conference semifinals.
Literally the biggest area of attention is in the post, where four-year letterman Bernardo da Silva graduated and key backup Mor Seck transferred to Fresno State. The man expected to be front and center — literally — this season is graduate transfer Tanner Christensen, a 6-foot-10, 275-pound post who brings four years of heavy NCAA Division I experience to the Warriors.
Christensen, originally from Spokane, Wash., began his career with two years at Idaho before starting all 63 games the past two seasons at Utah Tech. Overall, he has started in 93 of his 113 college games.
In 2023-24, Christensen averaged 11.5 points per game while shooting 56.4 percent from the floor, in addition to 6.8 rebounds per game and making 48 total blocked shots. In his two seasons at Utah Tech, Christensen also made 15 shots from beyond the 3-point line.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tanner and his wife, Emilie, to our ‘ohana,” UH coach Eran Ganot said after Christensen’s official National Letter-of-Intent signing in mid-April. “He’s a true center that brings toughness, physicality, rebounding, shot blocking and a scoring presence. He also possesses the intangibles — high character, a relentless work ethic and strong leadership abilities — that will really help lift our program.”
Christensen, who served a two-year church mission in Argentina after high school, is fluent in Spanish and holds a Bachelor’s degree in finance and was on track for a Master’s degree in accounting from Utah Tech.
Ganot said Christensen brings similar versatility on the court.
“Tanner is a guy who can hit an open 3, he can duck in on the block, and he could probably be one of the best screen-setters in our league,” Ganot said prior to Friday’s practice. “So we’re going to use all those strengths to our advantage as we get our chance to develop him.”
The other three new players from the transfer portal are guards Marcus Greene (Houston Christian), forward Gytis Nemeiksa (Xavier) and post Jerome Palm (Valparaiso). They join European imports Osahon Obasohan (Belgium) and Jacopo Van der Knaap (Italy), and high school signees Aaron Hunkin-Claytor and Roy Igwe.