Hawaiʻi basketball picks up Kellen Hampton
Per his Instagram (@kellbrd), Kellen Hampton comes from Pacific University to Hawaiʻi for 2026-27!
The recruiting class of 2026-27 for the University of Hawaiʻi Men’s Basketball team just added another!
After one season at Pacific, Kellen Hampton announced on Monday that he has chosen the University of Hawaiʻi as his new home!
Hampton, a 6’7 forward and wing, appeared in only one game for the Tigers before redshirting.
A 3-star recruit out of Moreau Catholic in California, Hampton will have four years of eligibility remaining for the Rainbow Warriors. He had offers from St. John’s, Creighton, and Arizona State, just to name a few, and ultimately chose UH.
While at Moreau Catholic, Hampton averaged over 17 points and six rebounds per game. He has a decent 3-point shooting arm at 43%.
Hampton told Hawaiʻi Sports Radio that he played in high school with Aaron Hunkin-Claytor and monitored his career. He is also closely connected with UH assistant coach Clay Wilson, who came to Hawaiʻi himself after one season at Pacific.
Hampton joins Marcus Adams Jr., Jaden Matingou, Zack Davidson, Houran Dan, and Chance Trujillo as UH’s portal pickups!
As of Monday, Tanner Cuff and Isaiah Kerr remain the only returning Rainbow Warriors from last year’s roster. Tiger Cuff, Tanner’s younger brother, and Scotty Belnap were also added to the roster as freshmen after two-year church missions. Graduated senior Isaac Johnson is still awaiting word from the NCAA on a waiver for a fifth season of eligibility; he confirmed he will not enter the transfer portal.
My Reaction:
Well, we’ve picked up another one! I can see Kellen Hampton making a good impact for UH at his designated position! I don’t know how good a post player he is, but I also see an impact there, given his height. I can remember a former 3-point shooter, Jack Purchase, from the early 2010s; he used his height to his advantage and began getting double-doubles pretty frequently. Kellen would make a good 3-point shooter and show similar athleticism to Dre Bullock or Isaac Johnson. I can see him making some game-winning shots as frequently as JoVon McClanahan did during his time here! Welcome to the islands, Kellen! Show us your stuff!
