If you listened to certain people in the summer of 2011, and again this past offseason, you might be wondering why Vander Joaquim is still here.

The rumor mill worked overtime on the idea of the University of Hawaii center from Angola not returning after his sophomore and junior years. Since so many other Rainbow Warriors went packing — including six of the eight who arrived here two years ago in Gib Arnold’s first recruiting class — it didn’t take much for speculation to spread that Joaquim would do the same.

"Yeah, it’s kind of funny," he said Tuesday. "My plan was to always come back and finish school and try to go to the NBA. Finish my goals."

Joaquim is here, but now there’s a new question.

A torn knee ligament (MCL) has him out of practice for now, but Joaquim expects to be back in action in time for UH’s opener Nov. 9 against Maryland-Eastern Shore. "Rehab is going pretty good. Two more weeks, the latest three weeks if I don’t feel comfortable. Shouldn’t be more than that," he said. "I’ve been shooting around, jumping. Not side-to-side. Conditioning with jump rope, biking, jogging."

HE SHOULDN’T rush, but the sooner he’s back, the better. Not only is the first-team All-WAC performer Hawaii’s most established player, he also is expected to be its leader.

The coach agrees this is Joaquim’s team.

"He’s the one proven commodity we have. The only one," Arnold said. "I’ve got no problem with him taking it over, A to Z."

Joaquim and fellow center Davis Rozitis are the only holdovers from Arnold’s 2010-11 team that went 19-13. Last season’s 16-16 mark, and the mass exodus, led to criticism, especially since Arnold got a healthy raise after his first season.

He said the attrition is not unique in college basketball, and stemmed from not having time to recruit in 2010.

"We had 10 days. Players that have no secure offer 10 days before signing day are either, one, they’re not quite good enough or, two, they’re good enough but with some baggage. We had to take eight from that pool.

"Vander and Davis are guys who were question marks whether they were good enough. They’ve both bought in and worked on their game. They’ve both been able to understand it’s a marathon, not a sprint."

IF JOAQUIM and Rozitis are the grizzled survivors from the first generation, freshman Isaac Fotu is the new face of UH basketball — and the new hair.

Fotu is 6 feet 7, but 6-10 if you count the ‘do he’s cultivated the past seven months and was emulated by spectators wearing wigs at last Friday’s Ohana Hoopfest. The Tongan from New Zealand who has family in Kalihi was a fan favorite even before the first practice.

"I hope it’s because he can play more than for his hair," Arnold said.

The indicators are that he can, and that getting Fotu is a sweet recruiting catch.

If he develops quickly, Fotu and Christian Standhardinger — impressive in practice while redshirting last year — could combine with Joaquim to form a solid frontcourt.

Assuming that knee holds up.

But at least Vander Joaquim is here. That much is for sure.

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Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.