UH member says outdoor shooting is 'one of my strengths'

The University of Hawaii basketball team has come a long way to secure the commitment of a long-distance shooter.

Jacopo Van der Knaap, a 6-foot-5, 198-pound guard from the Netherlands, accepted a scholarship offer from the Rainbow Warriors and was admitted to UH.

Van der Knapp currently plays for his country's 3-on-3 national team in the U21 international tournament. If the Netherlands reaches the World Cup, Van der Knaap will join the 'Bows in August. He said he will be eligible at UH for four seasons.

“I think it’s going to be a great experience,” Van der Knaap said of UH, where he plans to major in computer science or business. “I think (UH) is the best option for me to study and play basketball at the same time. … I had a discussion with coach (Eran Ganot). It’s also a beautiful place. I think it’s a great opportunity for me in a lot of ways.”

Van der Knaap is Italian and Dutch. He grew up in Italy and then moved to Amsterdam at age 16 to pursue basketball. Two years later, he began playing amateur basketball for club teams in Italy and Spain. Last summer, Van der Knaap joined his brother’s club team for a series of exhibition games in Italy. Against the University of San Diego, Van der Knaap scored 26 points. That performance caught the attention of UH coaches.

Van der Knaap is an accurate and deep shooter. “That's one of my strong points,” he said.

But he’s also adept at driving, especially navigating screens. While he’s honed his ball-handling skills since he took up the sport at age 6, an injury actually expanded his repertoire. Van der Knaap, who is right-handed, broke his right thumb in practice a few years ago. While recovering, he developed an ambidextrous ball-handling style. He’s also perfected a left-handed shot. He credits a former coach for helping him work on his shooting technique. “A lot of practice in the gym,” he said.

Van der Knapp is the fifth scholarship player in the Bows' 2024-25 class. Last November, the Bows signed guards Aaron Hunkin-Claytor and AJ Economou. Economou enrolled at UH in January and redshirted for the 2024 spring semester.

Last spring, the Bows signed Tanner Christensen, a 6-foot-2, 275-pound transfer from Utah Tech, and point guard Marcus “MarMar” Greene from Houston Christian. Last week, the Bows picked up a commitment from Gytis “Nemo” Nemeiksa, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound forward from Lithuania. Nemeiksa started 20 games for Xavier last season.